


Talk Nerdy to Me, Kitten

by theLilyBird



Category: Borderlands
Genre: AU - Coffee Shop, AU - College, AU - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-04 10:00:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6653365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theLilyBird/pseuds/theLilyBird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhys works at a coffee shop to help pay for his college and one day a kinda weird, kinda hot customer comes in with a really complicated coffee order.</p><p>A combination of College and Coffee Shop AUs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cloud-ia

**Author's Note:**

> Marked Explicit for a later chapter. Hope you enjoy. Find me on [my tumblr](http://thelilybird.tumblr.com/)

“Where's Claudia?”

 

Rhys looks up to face the customer.

 

He's older than Rhys by maybe twenty years, a shock of silver in his hair with mismatched eyes of blue and green. Not to mention handsome as hell, even with the upside down V of a scar. The way he pronounces the woman's name is pretentious: Cloud-ia. Rhys gets the impression the man comes from wealth.

 

“She was fired, sir. However, I'm sure I can help you with whatever you need,” Rhys tells the man. “What can I get you?”

 

The older man eyes him suspiciously for a moment before giving Rhys the most complicated coffee order he's ever heard. “You get that, pumpkin?”

 

“Yes, sir,” Rhys replies, grabbing a cup from the stack. “Can I get your name?”

 

The older man grins and Rhys finds himself shifting uncomfortably. “Batman,” he says confidently.

 

Rhys nods and scribbles _Batman_ onto the cup before turning to prepare the man's coffee. He finds a rhythm in the older man's instructions and follows it until he's finished. He hands the coffee off as the older man holds his phone over the card reader.

 

He's one of _those_ people.

 

“Thanks, pumpkin,” the older man says, holding his cup up in cheers before taking a slow sip of the steaming liquid. He nods appreciatively and looks a little surprised.

 

“Even better than Claudia,” he says, turning to leave. At the door he looks back to Rhys and grins again. “I think you've just become my new favorite, kiddo.”

 

The morning shift picks up after that and Rhys finds himself struggling to handle all the orders single handed.

 

He tries to remind himself that he needs the extra cash the boss promised him for working the shift solo. It manages to make him power through the rest of the shift.

 

Rhys is all too happy to get out of the coffee shop when his shift ends, going so far as to flip off the back of the building as he leaves.

 

Vaughn’s just barely starting to shuffle around their shared apartment when Rhys gets home.

 

“Mornin’ bro,” Vaughn says groggily, sticking his head into the fridge and fishing out the milk.

 

“It's noon,” Rhys says, throwing himself into the couch and flipping on the TV.

 

“Oh. Well, good afternoon,” Vaughn corrects.

 

Rhys shakes his head and smiles to himself. “Good to see you're still enjoying our last week of vacation,” Rhys says with a laugh.

 

“I have every right to sleep until noon, Rhys.” Vaughn sits down beside Rhys on the couch with a bowl of cereal. “So how was work?”

 

“Fine, I guess,” Rhys says with a shrug. “There was this one guy though. Kinda weird, kinda hot. He made me put Batman on his cup.”

 

Vaughn eyes his friend carefully. “Kinda hot?” he echoes.

 

“Yeah, just because I'm in a relationship doesn't mean I can't recognize that other people are attractive,” Rhys tells him.

 

“True,” Vaughn says honestly.

 

Suddenly Rhys’ phone chimes and he fishes it out of his pocket to check it.

 

**[Bae <3] ** _Hey you. How was work? I miss you already._

**[Me]** _Work was fine. I miss you too <3 _

 

Vaughn leans in to look at Rhys’ phone. “Speak of the devil,” he mutters before shoveling more cereal into his mouth.

 

“You act like you don't like her,” Rhys complains.

 

“I like her.”

 

“Yeah, I know. That's my point.”

 

**[Bae <3] ** _First chance I get I'm coming to see you_

**[Me]** _Looking forward to it_

 

Vaughn leans over again and makes a disgusted noise. “You two are sickening. She left yesterday. Can you two cool it for twenty four hours, please? I already had to deal with you going at it like rabbits. I don't need to see you making googly eyes at your phone,” Vaughn groans and makes gagging sounds.

 

Rhys rolls his eyes, “You're just jealous.”

 

Vaughn doesn't say anything else, just continues to shovel cereal into his mouth.

 

***

 

Mr. Handsome--as Rhys had begun to call him--comes in regularly. It’s like clockwork, same time every time.

 

He never gives his real name, but he doesn't stick with Batman either. Each morning he gives Rhys a different name to write on the cup and each morning Rhys’ curiosity grows.

 

Sunday morning is different however, Mr. Handsome comes in late--close to the end of Rhys’ shift--looking disheveled and a bit perkier than usual. It gives Rhys a weird feeling in his stomach.

 

“Mornin’ kitten,” Mr. Handsome says, smiling in a way that's just a little too kind for him. “You look good. And the usual.”

 

Rhys grabs a cup and smiles at the older man. “Who’re you today?” he asks, sharpie poised to scribble out whatever the man tells him.

 

“Tony Stark,” the older man answers.

 

Rhys writes what he's told and turns to begin the process of making his complicated coffee.

 

“Ya know, kitten, you're getting _real_ good at that,” Mr. Handsome tells him. “I've almost completely forgotten about Claudia.”

 

“Almost?”

 

He laughs. “Claudia had nicer tits,” he says.

 

Rhys snorts a laugh and places the lid on the cup before turning back and handing off the drink. “Sorry to disappoint, Mr. Stark.”

 

“No big deal.”--he leans across the counter as if the next part is a secret--“You've got a nicer ass.” Then he pulls away, winks, and heads out the door. Leaving Rhys to mull his statement over in his head even after his shift is finished.

 

“Then he says ‘you've got a nicer ass’ and winks at me. _Winks,_ ” Rhys says to Vaughn when he's back at their apartment and had plenty of time to think about Mr. Handsome’s words.

 

Vaughn leans around Rhys to give his ass a once over. “He's not wrong,” he tells him, turning his attention back to Rhys.

 

“Vaughn!” Rhys exclaims.

 

The smaller man just laughs, walks around Rhys to give his ass a smack, and stuffs more twizzlers in his mouth.

 

Rhys crosses his arms and frowns. It takes him a minute, but Rhys starts to laugh too. “I guess I do have a pretty good ass,” Rhys concedes.

 

“You're welcome,” Vaughn says, holding out a twizzler to Rhys.

 

***

 

**[Me]** _Didn't you say you were going to bed?_

**[Bae <3] ** _Trying to get rid of me?_

**[Me]** _Trying not to get my head bit off for making you late to class tomorrow_

**[Bae <3] ** _Why would I be late? ;)_

 

Rhys laughs.

 

**[Me]** _Tease_

**[Bae <3]** _You love it_

**[Me]** _I do_

**[Bae <3] ** _Call me_

 

About a half hour later, Rhys lays sprawled out in bed, spent and sweating from both exertion and the last tendrils of summer heat. He stares down at the last text on his phone.

 

**[Bae <3] ** _Goodnight love_

 

Rhys closes his eyes and as sleep starts to take him his mind flares up a single thought: _you've got a nicer ass._

 

He groans, rolls over onto his face, and screams into his pillow.

 

_Stupid Mr. Handsome_.


	2. Mr. Lawrence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys meets his programming professor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short Chapter. This'll probably be updated every other day or so. Kinda depends. We'll see. Feel free to pester [my tumblr](http://thelilybird.tumblr.com/)  
> in the mean time.

Rhys had already talked to his boss about splitting his work hours so he works both before and after classes. His boss was very understanding about the whole college thing.

 

It'll be Rhys’ second year at Helios University; his second year of schooling on the other side of the country and his second year being so far from his girlfriend on a regular basis.

 

They were--Rhys hated the term--high school sweethearts and had been since sophomore year. Being so far from each other had caused a strain on their relationship at first, but they worked through it and came out the other side better for it. To make up for lost time, she had stayed over with him and Vaughn for most of summer vacation.

 

“Hey, kitten, you in there?” Mr. Handsome asks, tapping at Rhys’ temple across the counter. As soon as Rhys looks up he pulls away.

 

Rhys doesn't respond, mind still a little lost in his thoughts. Instead he grabs a cup, scribbles Mr. Handsome’s name on it, and sets about making the older man's coffee.

 

When Mr. Handsome takes his coffee from Rhys, he grabs him by the wrist of his flesh arm, startling him.

 

Rhys watches him with wide eyes as he sets the cup on the counter, digs in his pocket for a minute, and then presses something resembling paper into his palm before releasing him. The older man takes his coffee and turns to go, calling over his shoulder, “Be good for me, kitten.”

 

He's still for a while before he opens his palm to examine whatever Mr. Handsome gave him. It's a fifty dollar bill. Rhys takes a moment to just stare at it before shoving it into his pocket; he'd thank the older man the next time he comes in.

 

Rhys is quick to pass his shift off to the new girl, giving her a quick assurance she'll be fine before grabbing his backpack and bolting out the back to Vaughn’s waiting car.

 

“You look...happy…” Vaughn says awkwardly as they drive toward campus.

 

“That guy tipped me today. A big tip. Like fifty dollars,” Rhys says.

 

Vaughn side eyes his friend, “He's probably looking to get into your pants, Rhys.”

 

Rhys frowns. “Or he's a nice guy who appreciates it when someone makes his very complicated coffee for him every morning,” Rhys suggests.

 

“Whatever, bro. I'm just saying, be careful,” Vaughn says, pulling into the parking lot.

 

“ _ Be careful _ ,” Rhys repeats mockingly as he hops out of the car and slams the door behind him. “Like I'm some horny teenager who can't contain his urges.”

 

He simmers down by the time he reaches the lecture hall.

 

The room is vacant and Rhys checks the time on his phone: he's a little over fifteen minutes early. He'd been so concerned about being late he'd done the opposite. It was the better end of the deal anyway.

 

As Rhys passes the desk in front of the board his eyes catch on the distinct silver and blue of the coffee shop’s cups. Unable to contain himself he picks the cup up to examine the name.

 

Scrawled in Rhys’ own sloppy handwriting is  _ Mr. Handsome _ . Rhys places the cup back on the desk with wide eyes. He stares at it as if it had personally offended him in some way.

 

“Heya, kitten. You need something?” Mr. Handsome calls out on his way over to Rhys.

 

“I-I'm a student here,” he sputters, not turning his attention away from the cup. He didn't even remember writing that. Then again he didn't remember writing anything else either.

 

Mr. Handsome picks up the cup and holds it so Rhys sloppy scrawl stares him in the face. “Care to explain, kitten?”

 

“I don't-ah I didn't--”

 

A predatory grin spreads across Mr. Handsome’s face and Rhys briefly wonders if he's going to be eaten. “I'm just messing with you, kiddo. It's a cute moniker. Kinda like it,” he says, setting the cup back down. “Go sit down before you pass out, kitten.”

 

Rhys happily does as he's told, face burning in shame.

 

So his programming professor is also his favorite customer at the coffee shop. _Great._ _That's not super awkward or weird_.

 

He pulls out his phone and texts Vaughn about the whole situation. Then he checks his other messages.

 

[Bae <3]  _ Hope you have a good first day love! _

[Me]  _ Thanks babe _

 

Vaughn texts back quickly.

 

[Nerd]  _ This is bad, Rhys. Keep your crush to yourself. _

[Me]  _ I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH. _

 

Rhys scoffs and tucks his phone away. When he looks up he finds Mr. Handsome staring at him from his desk as he sips at his coffee and the room has started to fill.

 

Class begins and Mr. Handsome stands with a flourish. He starts to scribble something on the board in handwriting bad enough to rival Rhys’.

 

When he's finished he turns to address the class,“I'm Mr. Lawrence.”


	3. Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys makes a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna say thanks to everyone who left comments! You're all so sweet and wonderful! I love all of you! You fuel my writerly fires babes! Longer chapter. Updates will probably keep coming at this rate. Depends on how I feel about chapter seven by the time we get there (It's been kicking my ass). Anyway, enjoy! <3

Mr. Lawrence, as it turns out, is a very, _very_ good teacher. Everything he does is measured and thorough-thought. His lectures are mesmerizing at worst and otherworldly at best. The man was practically born to do this job.

 

Needless to say, it surprises Rhys when--after his second week of classes--he finds out this is Mr. Lawrence's first year as a professor.

 

“What?” he questions the two girls discussing Mr. Lawrence just outside the lecture hall.

 

The brunette shoots him a glare but her blonde companion is all too eager to gossip.

 

“Mr. Lawrence. This is his first year here; first year teaching _period_ as far as anyone knows. Some people say he used to work at Hyperion, but no one can prove it or say for sure. And no one would dare ask. You've seen how scary the man can get,” the blonde tells him.

 

It was true. The man was a force to be reckoned with. In the past two weeks he'd been witness to several outbursts. Most of which left one student flushed in shame and embarrassment.

 

Once he'd caught a student texting in class and asked for his phone. The poor kid had been sexting some girl and Mr. Lawrence read a good fifteen of the texts aloud to the class. Rhys hadn't seen the kid since.

 

“Thanks for the info,” Rhys says before walking off.

 

Rhys’ second shift isn't too bad, he has a girl who can't be much older than seventeen to help him out. She's a little eccentric, but her own robotic arm has given them an instant kinship.

 

“Hey, do you mind getting the scrawny kid for me?” Rhys hears from the counter.

 

“Rhys!” Gaige calls to him and Rhys makes his way from the back to the front counter.

 

Rhys smiles at Mr. Lawrence. “The usual?”

 

Mr. Lawrence nods.

 

Rhys grabs a cup from the stack, but before he can start to write Mr. Lawrence onto it--as he has been ever since he learned his name--the man in question grabs him by the metal wrist and stops him.

 

“Aren't you going to ask my name?” he says.

 

Rhys stares for a minute, but recovers quickly. “Uh, sure. Name?” he asks, humoring the older man.

 

The grin that splits his face is shit eating. “Mr. Handsome, of course,” he says, not yet releasing his wrist. He gives him a wink before finally letting him go.

 

Trying to hide his blush, he writes what he's told and turns away to begin working on the older man's coffee.

 

 _You have a girlfriend_ , he chides himself. _You've gotta put an end to this. Just tell the man straight up._

 

“There's going to be a pop quiz tomorrow,” Mr. Lawrence says lazily.

 

Rhys chuckles to himself, “It's not much of a pop quiz if you tell people about it. I don't know if you realize this, but pop quizzes are supposed to be a surprise.”

 

“Not people, just you,” he replies coolly.

 

Struggling to not say something smart back, Rhys puts the lid on the coffee and hands it off to Mr. Lawrence.

 

“Well, thanks for the tip, Mr. Lawrence,” Rhys says honestly.

 

Mr. Lawrence grins. “Anytime, Rhysie,” he says, turning and leaving.

 

The man _had_ to be toying with him. He was doing it on purpose just to get Rhys all flustered.

 

Sure enough, the next day is a pop quiz. While the rest of the class groans, Rhys smirks to himself--he studied.

 

When Rhys goes to turn in his paper, Mr. Lawrence is seated at his desk with his feet up on the wood surface. He places the paper on the desk, the first to have finished. He hated being first it made him feel like--

 

“Quite the overachiever, huh, kitten?” Mr. Lawrence says, looking up at him.

 

Yeah, he hated feeling like that.

 

Rather than reply, Rhys heads back to his seat, a little pinker than he should be.

  
***

 **[Bae <3] ** _Rhys. I miss you :(_

 **[Me]** _I miss you too babe_

 

He does. He really, really does.

 

 **[Bae <3] ** _Call me?_

 

Rhys does as he's told. _Insatiable woman._

 

Rhys lays on his back in bed, panting.

 

“You love me, don't you?” the woman on the other end of the line questions, gasping for breath between words.

 

“Of course,” he tells her and means it.

 

It's quiet for a long time, the only sound is their labored breathing as it slowly evens out.

 

“I wish I could be there with you,” she says wistfully.

 

“You could've been. We could be having sex between classes. Making out in the stacks. We could be driving Vaughn up the wall with our googly eyes,” Rhys jokes.

 

She laughs a little breathlessly, “Pandora has the better art program.”

 

“And Helios has better programming. We've been over this, babe. It's only a couple more years and we can spend so much time together you get sick of me,” he promises.

 

“I could never get sick of you.”

 

Rhys shrugs to himself. “Same. Now go to bed. I don't want to catch hell for making you late again,” he tells her.

 

He can practically hear her roll her eyes as she scoffs. “I love you, Rhys.”

 

“Love you too, babe,” he says, making kiss noises into the phone before hanging up.

 

“You're both disgusting!” Vaughn calls through the wall.

 

“I love you too, Vaughn!” Rhys calls back.

 

Rhys is slow and groggy the whole way to work.

 

Mr. Lawrence is late again, looking disheveled and pleased.

 

“Rhysie, my little overachiever, how're you?” he asks, leaning against the counter.

 

“Fine, Mr. Lawrence,” he says, and it comes out clipped.

 

Mr. Lawrence makes a pained sound. “Ouch, kiddo. Just tryna be nice,” he says.

 

Rhys sighs as he picks up a cup. “Who’re you today?” he asks and he sounds awful, even to his own ears.

 

Mr. Lawrence reaches out and tucks a stray bit of hair behind Rhys’ ear. “You okay, kid?” he asks and he sounds…sincere.

 

“Uh, yeah. Sorry. Just tired,” he says, jerking back slightly and scribbling _Mr. Handsome_ onto the cup before setting about making the older man's coffee.

 

“So kid, we haven't talked about your arm, yet. It's Hyperion, right?” Mr. Lawrence asks.

 

Rhys nods, a little surprised. He'd painted the thing all black so it didn't mess with his outfits so much. “Yeah, how'd you know?”

 

“You like Hyperion, kiddo?” he probes, ignoring Rhys’ own question.

 

Rhys laughs awkwardly, “I want to work there when I graduate. Be one of the code monkeys.”

 

“You're too talented to be a code monkey. Trust me on that, kitten. I've seen your work,” he says and Rhys tries to blame his blush on the steam from the coffee.

 

He puts the lid on and hands it to Mr. Lawrence. “Well tell that to Hyperion,” Rhys says.

 

“I think I just might,” he says, heading for the door. “I'll see you in class, kitten.”

 

Rhys finds himself curious as to who exactly keeps making Mr. Lawrence late to meet--to get his coffee. He groans and starts to gather his shit.

 

There's only one other kid there when Rhys arrives, but most of the class files in shortly after he does.

 

When class starts Mr. Lawrence stands from his chair with a flourish and scribbles on the board. _Hyperion_ stares Rhys in the face and he finds himself wondering if it's coincidence. Something tells him no.

 

“Okay kiddos, what do you know about Hyperion?” he asks, turning back to the class with the marker still in his hand.

 

No one seems to even breathe.

 

“Really? No one?” Mr. Lawrence says with a sigh.

 

Against his better judgement, Rhys raises his hand and Mr. Lawrence smiles.

 

“You got something to say, kitten?” he says.

 

Rhys takes that as cue to start talking, trying to ignore the fact his professor just called him _kitten_ in front of the entire class. “Aside from being the largest weapons manufacturers this side of Elpis, they're also a major tech company. They're constantly working toward the next biggest advancement,” he says, sinking back into his seat a little. He sounds like the fan boy he is.

 

Mr. Lawrence smiles proudly. “ _Gold star_ , kitten. Everyone pay attention and be more like Rhysie next time,” he says before starting on his lecture.

 

Rhys catches several students glaring at him.

 

 _That's the absolute last time I do that_ , Rhys thinks.

 

Class isn't over fast enough and Rhys is one of the first ones out the door. He's making his way through the halls at such a fast pace he doesn't noticed the dark haired girl until they're both on their asses in the middle of the hall.

 

Rather than yelling at him, she laughs, loud and joyful. Her smile even touches her big blue eyes.

 

“You okay?” she asks when she's calmed. She stands and reaches her hand down to help him up, which he takes gratefully.

 

“Uh, sorry,” Rhys says hastily.

 

She shakes her head and waves him off. “No big, really. Not the first time someone's knocked me on my ass. Won't be the last, either,” she says, still smiling brightly.

 

Girl's damn chipper for someone who's definitely going to have a bruised ass by this time tomorrow.

 

“I'm Angel,” she says, holding her hand out for him to shake.

 

He does. “Rhys,” he tells her.

 

Somehow her smile widens further. “Rhys,” she echoes back. “Pleasure. You know how you can make this up to me? Take me to get some lunch, I'm starved.”

 

He's not sure if she's being serious or not, but he's got no qualms about it. “I've gotta get to work, but I work at a coffee shop if you're okay with breakfast sandwiches in the afternoon,” he offers.

  
“You mean the ones with egg and bacon in a croissant? Love those,” she says, looping her arm through his. “Lead the way!”


	4. Timothy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys goes on a little field trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna start off by saying I love all of you! Your comments make my day! <3 I'm happy you're all enjoying this! I also wanna mention before we get too deep into Rhys' bad life choices that cheating is very, very bad. Do not do it. Please for the love of God don't do that. Anyway, this is probably the longest chapter. It was nine pages. So hunker down kiddos. <3

As it turns out Angel studies programming as well as some mild engineering. She also attends the same school as Rhys and Vaughn. So the three of them spend quite a bit of time together over the course of several weeks.

 

Angel sits on the couch between Rhys and Vaughn, leaning back against the latter with her feet in the lap of the former. She's spent the past five hours taking turns beating their asses at all their favorite games. 

 

“How do you  _ do  _ that?” Vaughn asks, voice somewhere between admiration and annoyance.

 

Angel giggles and tips her head back to press a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “A lady never tells,” she says, patting his cheek and returning to her previous position. 

 

“You doing anything for thanksgiving?” Rhys asks, turning his attention away from his  **Game Over** screen.

 

She shrugs, “Probably going to spend time with my uncle. He's always super busy, but he takes time off for  _ all _ the holidays. Dad doesn't care for most of them, to be honest. So I spend them with my uncle.”

 

“What about your mom?” Vaughn asks. Rhys shoots him a glare.

 

Angel hadn't expressly said it, but Rhys knew her mother was likely dead. Or at the very least, not in the picture. 

 

“Mom’s not around,” she says and the sadness in her big blue eyes is painful. “She uh--she died some time back. Hit dad pretty hard.”

 

Vaughn facepalms. “ _ Shit _ . I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive,” he says quickly.

 

Angel shrugs and her usual perky attitude reappears. “Not your fault. You didn't know.” She looks between both males, “You guys are gonna do what?”

 

“Rhys’ folks don't care for thanksgiving, either. Honestly, we're just going to stay here and play games. Maybe order a pizza,” Vaughn replies with a shrug.

 

“We'll be so lonely without you,” Rhys says, mock pouts.

 

Angel laughs, “You two will be happy for the extra pizza.”

  
They all laugh at that and continue getting their asses beat by Angel.

 

***

“Heya, kitten,” Mr. Lawrence says as he approaches the counter.

“Morning Mr. Lawrence,” Rhys says back.

Mr. Lawrence frowns. “You know you don't have to call me that.”

Rhys laughs and starts making the older man's coffee. “I am _ not  _ calling you Mr. Handsome. So if that's what you're thinking, stop it.”

Mr. Lawrence laughs and Rhys finds he  _ really  _ likes making him laugh. 

“How about Jack?” he asks, smiling as Rhys turns to face him.

“Jack,” Rhys echoes, testing the name on his tongue. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“Good, because this whole Mr. Lawrence crap makes me feel old,” he says.

“You  _ are _ old, Jack,” Rhys says, shaking his head and grinning.

Mr. Lawr-- _ Jack  _ laughs. “I'm only fourty-one.”

“You're old enough to be my father, I think that's plenty old,” Rhys says.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Jack concedes. He turns and heads for the door. “I'll see you around, kitten.” 

Rhys takes the weekend after thanksgiving off of work to spend some quality Skype time with his girlfriend. 

Monday morning, Rhys goes to work with every intention of shutting down Jack's…flirting, but when he approaches the counter with determined annoyance plastered on his face, Rhys falters.

“You weren't here, kitten. I had to go without all weekend,” he says, hands planted on the counter.

“I took the weekend off. I'm allowed to do that, you know,” Rhys says, not even bothering to ask if he wants his usual or not before starting on it.

“I think you owe me,” Jack says suggestively.

Rhys laughs, “Owe you what?”

“Next weekend, I want to take you somewhere. To meet someone I know. You'll like it,” Jack replies and Rhys catches him smiling smug over his shoulder. 

“Oh just a mystery jaunt with my professor to God knows where to meet God knows who. I'm going to have to decline,” Rhys says, turning back to Jack and handing off the drink.

_ Damn right. Set the man straight. Finally. You have a girlfriend who you love.  _

Jack chuckles darkly, “I can't make you, kitten. But I  _ can  _ motivate you.”

Rhys raises an eyebrow.

“Remember that assignment you failed last week?”

Of course he did. He also remembered watching Jack tear it into tiny little pieces because he'd been a whole two minutes late to class. Instead of mentioning it, Rhys just nods, not sure he's liking where this is going.

“If you come with me, no questions asked, I'll give you a full grade for the assignment,” Jack explains.

Rhys really is--though he’s loathe to admit--an overachiever and the zero he received was really bringing his grade down. He'd been meaning to ask if he could make it up somehow. Apparently this was his somehow. He pretends to consider it.

“A full grade?” Rhys asks and smiles when Jack nods. “Alright. Next weekend. Meet me here around this time on Saturday.”

  
***

Saturday rolls around and Rhys sits in the coffee shop, sipping at some frilly coffee with lots of sweetener and whipped cream.

Jack strolls in and catches Rhys’ attention, gesturing him to get off his ass and follow the older man outside. Surprisingly he walks Rhys over to a blue Prius. 

“Really?” Rhys questions.

Jack shrugs, “It's good for the environment and all that bullshit. Professors drive Priuses. Right?”

Rhys hops into the vehicle. “I just expected something...flashier,” he says.

“Next time I'll bring the Charger,” he says with a laugh and part of Rhys thinks the older man is serious.

“You're not taking me somewhere to cut me into little pieces, right?” Rhys jokes.

Jack looks at him out of the corner of his eye. “I said no questions, kitten. I meant it.”

“Wow that doesn't inspire confidence,” Rhys says.

It's not too long a drive, though the scenery turns to sparse landscapes before giving way to what looks like an industrial compound. In the front center is a massive office building shaped like an H.

“Hyperion? You brought me to Hyperion? Jack why are we here?” Rhys asks, turning to find Jack stepping out of the car. 

The older man comes around the side and opens his door for him. “No questions, Rhysie,” he chides.

Rhys nods absently and follows Jack inside to an elevator that requires a special code, then upstairs and down a long hall until they reach a set of massive double doors. Jack pushes them open effortlessly.

Inside, a man sits at the desk on the phone. At the sight of Jack he hangs up without saying goodbye and moves around the desk to greet them.

The other man looks exactly like Jack, minus the scar. “Jackie!” he calls out excitedly.

“TimTams,” Jack says coolly.

“Is this the one you've been telling me about?” TimTams asks, looking Rhys up and down.

Jack nods, “Mmhm.”

“If you don't mind me asking questions now, Jack. What's going on here?” Rhys says staring between the two near identical men.

“This is my brother, Timothy Lawrence,” Jack says. “Head of Hyperion and my identical twin.”

Timothy smiles, “ _ New  _ Head of Hyperion. Don't be shy now, Jackie. You've never been humble before. Shouldn't start now.”

Jack glares at his brother before sighing deeply and looking at Rhys. “ _ Ignore him _ ,” he growls.

Timothy’s smile turns wicked. “You don't want him to know,” he says.

Rhys looks between the two men again.

“I'll strangle you TimTams,” Jack threatens with more venom than Rhys would've thought possible.

“Mr. Grumpy Pants here used to be Head of Hyperion,” Timothy says before sprinting off out the door and down the hall with Jack on his tail.

Rhys lazily follows and finds them several hallways down. They're laughing on the floor, Jack pinning Tim to the ground and sitting on his chest. 

When Rhys approaches, Tim looks upside down at him and Jack grins. “I win again TimTams,” Jack says.

“You always win, Jackie,” Tim concedes. “Now get off me so I can give your boyfriend the tour.”

“He's not my boyfriend,” Rhys says, voice calm and firm.

Jack looks up at Rhys and he doesn't like what he sees in Jack’s heterochromatic eyes. 

This was a bad idea.

The tour entails a lot of different key codes and rooms marked  **CAUTION** . Tim introduces him to several different high ranking staff members of various departments. Everyone's overly kind and none of them look at Jack directly. Tim seems unfazed. Jack is dark and brooding through most of it, but Rhys is pretty sure Jack knows exactly what's going on with the staff.

“And I think that concludes our tour,” Timothy says, clapping his hands together and smiling genuinely. They may have the same face, but Tim’s got a gentler and far kinder demeanor that makes it easy to tell them apart.

Well, that and the scar Rhys couldn't discern the cause of.

“Thanks, TimTams,” Jack says, patting his brother on the arm. “I can take it from here. You go back to the big chair, yeah?”

Timothy nods and suddenly pulls Rhys in for a hug. It goes on longer than appropriate because Tim whispers in Rhys’ ear. “Do be gentle with him.” He pulls away and smiles. “Pleasure to meet you, Rhys.”

“Thanks for everything,” Rhys says, waving at the other man as he leaves him alone with Jack.

“C’mon, kiddo. I'll get you something to eat and take you back to your place,” Jack says softly, gesturing him to come along as he starts to walk away.

Rhys follows, debating how to respond. “Why’d you bring me here?” he asks, looking over at Jack.

Jack chuckles and digs his hands into his pockets. “Ungrateful little thing, aren't you?” 

“I'm not ungrateful. In fact I'm over the moon right now and it's taking all my self control to not dissolve into a complete fan boy. I just...don't understand why you'd do this,” Rhys replies, turning his attention away from Jack and rubbing at his flesh arm awkwardly.

Jack stops and so does Rhys. The older man takes his chin in his hand and tilts Rhys’ head so he looks at him. “Because I'm a very nice man who likes to do very nice things for no reason other than to be very nice,” he says and then scoffs, shaking his head. He frees Rhys from his grip and starts walking again.

“Are you going to at least tell me why you gave your job to your brother and took up teaching? I can't imagine you'd leave this place willingly,” Rhys says, looking around as he trails behind Jack. 

Jack sighs, “Some other time, kitten. Right now I'm starved and I want a hamburger.” He sounds drained, as if the day has exhausted him completely. 

“Sounds good. And uh--thanks for this Jack. It means a lot,” Rhys says, feeling somewhat guilty.

Jack drags him to some burger joint on site and promises they're the best burgers he'll ever taste. The man's not wrong.

Rhys moans as he takes a bite. “ _ Jack _ ,” he says around his food. “This is amazing.” He stuffs some fries in his face and moans again. He's died and gone to heaven.

Jack laughs in that genuine way Rhys has only seen a couple of times. “Glad you're happy, kiddo,” he says, smiling.

Rhys likes Jack, he realizes. Like  _ really  _ likes him. 

_ I'm going to catch hell for this. Vaughn’s going to kill me.  _ **_I'm_ ** _ going to kill me. _

“C’mon, kiddo. It's getting late. I'll take you home,” Jack says, leaving a small wad of cash on the table when he stands up. Catching Rhys’ gaping expression, he laughs. “I have money to burn, kitten. Don't think on it too much. You'll hurt that pretty little brain of yours,” he says, tapping Rhys’ temple.

Rhys follows Jack back to the car and feels ridiculously giddy when Jack opens the door for him.

_ I'm going to hell. _

The drive back is spent in relative silence, Rhys just hums quietly to the radio. It's not until they pull up in front of Rhys’ apartment building that Rhys speaks.

“How do you know where I live?” he asks, looking between the building and Jack. 

Jack shrugs, “I do my research.”

That  _ should  _ be creepy. Rhys  _ should  _ get out of the car.  _ Right now. _

But he doesn't. He just sits there looking stupidly at his professor. His  _ hot  _ professor.

Jack quirks a smile at him, “Goodnight, Rhysie.”

When Rhys just continues to stare, Jack captures his chin again and tilts his head down before pressing a kiss to Rhys’ forehead. “ _ Goodnight, kitten _ ,” he repeats.

Rhys snaps out of whatever trance he was in and starts to climb out of the car. He stops and turns to look back at Jack, who's staring at him. “Thanks again, Jack. I had a really good time,” he says.

“Alright no need to kiss ass, kitten. You're getting that A,” Jack says and Rhys realizes he'd completely forgotten about the conditions he was here under.

He pauses for a moment. “I mean it,” he says before closing the door and heading back to his apartment. 

“Where were you?” Vaughn asks when Rhys passes the threshold.

“I went to Hyperion. With Jack. He used to work there. His brother showed me around,” Rhys admits with a shrug.

Vaughn’s eyes look like they're threatening to explode from his head. “You did what?!” 

“Shove it, Vaughn. Nothing happened,” Rhys says, crossing his arms. “I'm tired. I'm going to bed.”

“You're a terrible boyfriend!” Vaughn calls after him.

Rhys slams his bedroom door behind himself and sinks to the floor. He fishes his phone from his pocket and starts typing.

**[Me]** _You know I love you, right? Like a lot. Like a lot a lot. Like so much._

Rhys sits in silence for a while, waiting for the cheerful chime of his phone to alert him to a new message. It chimes about fifteen minutes later.

**[Bae <3]** _ I love you too, Rhys. You okay?  _

**[Me]** _I don't know. It's been pretty crazy around here lately._

**[Bae <3] ** _ Do you wanna talk? _

Rhys nods to himself, sadly. He doesn't tell her that, though.

**[Me]** _ I kinda just want to be with you right now. _

His phone starts to ring and he answers. He doesn't tell her anything about Jack. He glosses over how close he is with Angel. And when she asks why he seems so upset, he flat out lies and says he doesn't know.

Rhys is breathing hard and he keeps closing his eyes for extended periods of time. His body is spent, but he doesn't feel sated.

“I'll talk to you tomorrow, Rhys. Get some sleep. You sound like crap,” the woman on the other end of the line says before hanging up on him.

  
Rhys lies in bed for a while, unable to sleep. He's craving something  _ more.  _ He just doesn't know what  _ more  _ is.


	5. Elphant on My Chest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys gets sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are so perfect with your comments! I love all of you so much! So as we get deeper in Rhys' bad life choices, I wanted to ask how much you guys would hate me if Rhys dipped his toes into the cheater pool? Not like full dive or anything, but I mean ya know just like a little bit. Because as much as it's horrible in real life, it makes for some really good dramatic writing and you know me. I am uncreative so all the plot devices I can get my hands on, I will. I dunno, lemme know what you think! This chapter is mostly filler so maaaaaybe I'll post another one later tonight. I dunno. (Wow. I'm pretty much Jon Snow at this point. I know nothing.) Anyway, I love all of you so much, keep your love coming it really fuels my writerly fires!

Monday morning Rhys wakes with a head splitting migraine and what feels like an elephant making a home on his chest. His mouth is dry and his throat burns. He's not going to any classes today. Nope.

 

He texts Vaughn to please get him some soup, cough drops with menthol, and pain relievers.

 

**[Nerd]** _Anything you need. I'll stop by the store on the way home._

 

Rhys smiles. Thank God for modern technology and best friends.

 

He drifts in and out of consciousness for several hours before forcing himself to get up, piss, and shower. He goes the extra mile and gets himself several bottles of water to stash in his room before crawling back into bed. 

 

It's a godsend when Vaughn returns home with all the desired items. He heats up the soup and brings it to Rhys in a thermos along with several flavors of cough drops and a bottle of pain relievers.

 

“I could just kiss you,” Rhys croaks, tossing two pills in his mouth and chasing them down with some water.

 

Vaughn takes a step back. “Please don't do that. I don't want your disease,” he says half joking and half serious.

 

Rhys forces a smile. “Thanks bro,” he says hoarsely before sipping at the soup in the thermos.

 

“Yeah, yeah. You're an idiot, but you're  _ my _ idiot so it's only right I take care of you. You'd do the same for me,” Vaughn says, moving toward the door and closing it behind himself.

 

Rhys sets the thermos onto the nightstand, curls up into his blankets, and goes back to sleep.

 

His sleep is restless and heated. He wakes to find a cool towel pressed against his forehead and shifts slightly to look at whoever is making his bed dip at the edge.

 

“Jack?” Rhys questions, voice scratchy.

 

The older man sits beside him, smiling gently. “You missed class,” he says quietly.

 

Rhys laughs and it  _ fucking  _ hurts. He moans in pain and Jack offers him water, which he takes gratefully. As he sits up to drink the towel falls off his head.

 

“Did you do that?”

 

“You were burning up,” Jack explains.

 

Rhys hands the water back to Jack and forces a smile. “Why’re you here?” he croaks.

 

Jack frowns and strokes Rhys’ hair. “Go back to sleep, kitten,” the older man tells him.

 

Too tired to argue, Rhys does as he's told, laying back down and dozing off quickly.

 

Rhys doesn't wake up again until Tuesday morning and he feels significantly better. Still feels like crap, but less like death. 

 

Sitting up, he spies something written in pen on his flesh arm.

 

_ If you're not dead by morning, let me know _ . Followed by a phone number.

 

“Vaughn!” Rhys calls out, voice still hoarse.

 

The smaller man lazily makes his way into Rhys’ room. “You need something?” he asks, rubbing at his eyes.

 

“You let Jack in,” he accuses.

 

“More like he made me. The man is terrifying. He came over, started banging on the door and shouting. So instead of letting him break the door down, I let him in. Told him you were super sick. Never seen anyone's mood change so fast. Wouldn't leave your side for  _ hours _ . When he finally did he said your fever was gone,” Vaughn explains with a shrug. “Dude's crazy. But he obviously cares about you.”

 

Rhys catches himself smiling and forces his lips into a frown. “He left me his number,” he says, holding his flesh arm out to Vaughn. 

 

Vaughn sighs. “I'm not going to tell you that you should, but I'm not going to tell you that you shouldn't either,” he says, turning and heading back out, closing the door behind himself.

 

Rhys opens his phone to input Jack's number and finds several concerned texts from his girlfriend. 

 

**[Me]** _I'm fine babe. I just caught a cold and it hit me really hard yesterday. Vaughn took good care of me though. Don't worry._

**[Bae <3]** _ Aw! I'm sorry I wasn't there! I hope you're feeling better.  _

**[Me]** _I am. I'll let you know how I feel by the end of the day though ;)_

 

Rhys punches in Jack's number and spends a good ten minutes deciding what to say.

 

**[Me]** _I'm not dead yet. Thanks to you, no doubt._

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ You're welcome for that, kitten. _

 

Rhys stares at the near instant reply. Had he been waiting for his response? He thinks to ask why he'd bothered to take care of him in the first place, but decides against it.

 

Instead he gets ready for work and makes Vaughn drive him there.

 

Jack comes in a little late, with mussed hair and several bruises visible along his neck. Rhys feels jealousy flare in his gut but he swallows it down.  _ Jack does not belong to me. I have a girlfriend. _

 

“You look like shit,” Jack says bluntly.

 

Rhys chuckles to himself. He looks like someone dying of some horrible disease and he knows it. “And you look well fucked,” Rhys says nonchalantly. “I think we both know who had the better morning.” He gives the older man a wink. 

 

Jack just stares for a moment and Rhys revels in the stunned expression plastered on the older man's face. The moment is over too quickly as Jack recovers. 

 

The older man chuckles. “Very cute, kitten. Now get your ass in gear and make my coffee,” he says.

 

Rhys does as he's told, getting lost in the easy rhythm of his work. His mind drifts and he finds himself wondering more and more about who Jack had spent his morning with. It takes everything he has not to ask.

 

He turns back around and hands the coffee off to Jack. “I'll see you in class,” Rhys says.

 

Jack laughs and shakes his head. “Like hell you will. You're going to go back home after this. I'm not having you infect the rest of my class with your disease,” he says.

 

“Are you serious?” Rhys questions.

 

“Yes, kitten. If I see you in my class before you're well, I will not hesitate to fail you,” the older man says firmly.

 

Rhys gapes but nods anyway. “I'll uh...go home then.”

 

Jack smiles, “Good boy.”

 

After work Rhys calls Vaughn to pick him up and take him home, explaining he won't be going to class today. He spends most of the day playing video games.

 

His phone chimes and Rhys pauses his game to check it.

 

**[Wings]** _ Heard you're deathly ill. If you need anything, lemme know, yeah? _

**[Me]** _ Thanks for your concern, but I'm good. I could go for some lunch though. _

**[Wings]** _ Take out from your favourite chinese place coming right up. ;)  _

 

Angel comes by about a half hour later with Chinese.

 

“You're a true gift,” Rhys says, digging into the food and stuffing his face.

 

Angel laughs, “I am aren't I?”

 

Rhys makes a noise of agreement around his food. He's  _ so  _ hungry. He hasn't eaten anything substantial since Sunday night.

 

“Don't hurt yourself,” Angel tells him, lingering by the door. “Look, as much as I would love to sit around and veg out with you…I have to get home and study.”

 

Rhys nods and swallows before speaking. “No problem. I'll be fine. Thanks for the food,” he tells her.

 

Not long after Angel leaves, Vaughn comes home and eats what little takeout is left over.

 

“Did you tell Angel I was sick?” Rhys questions.

 

“She asked where you were, sounded worried. So I told her. Should I not’ve?” Vaughn looks over at Rhys while eating the last of the rice.

 

Rhys shakes his head, “No, it’s fine. I was just curious.”


	6. Bad Life Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys makes some bad life choices. He has regrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your responses! And lovely comments! As usual you guys are perfect! I'm probably (don't hold me to it) going to post chapter seven later tonight because I really like that chapter and I need you all to read it. After seven though updates might slow down. We will see. It's all one big question mark right now! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and have a lovely day! <3

“So what do you have planned for winter break?” Rhys asks, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table and turning his attention to Angel.

 

“Nothing much. Going to spend most of it with my uncle. He goes all out for Christmas. If we’re lucky, dad might join us at some point, but I’m not going to get my hopes up,” Angel says, shrugging like it’s not a big deal, but the look on her face says otherwise.

 

Vaughn seems to catch on and frowns, “No offence, Angel, but your dad seems like an asshole.”

 

Angel bursts into a fit of laughter so bad she’s shaking and clutching her stomach. Both Rhys and Vaughn just stare at her until she manages to rein herself in.

 

“It really wasn’t that funny,” Rhys says, looking concerned.

 

“But it was,” she protests through the last of her laughter. “It’s funny because it’s true.”

 

When neither Rhys nor Vaughn respond, she sighs deeply. “You wouldn't get it unless you knew him. He's not a bad father, he's just not a very good man,” Angel says, shrugging. “Anyway, what're your plans?” 

 

“We're going to be like Harry and Ron and spend our winter break here,” Vaughn says.

 

“Except we're both Ron,” Rhys adds.

 

Angel smiles brightly, “Do I get to be Hermione?”

 

Vaughn turns an almost imperceptible shade of pink and Rhys makes note to mention it later. “Yeah, sure,” he tells her, smiling sweetly. 

 

Angel’s phone chimes and over her shoulder Rhys can see it's a text from her father. He's pretty sure the man's confirming dinner plans, but when Angel asks them if they want to grab some Chinese Rhys becomes unsure. They all end up passing out on the couch with the TV still on sometime after dinner.

 

Rhys wakes to find Angel resting on his shoulder with Vaughn in her lap.

 

_ They'd be a cute couple _ , Rhys thinks to himself as he slowly readjusts so he can get up and pee without waking his friends. On his way out of the bathroom he spies Angel petting Vaughn’s hair somewhat lovingly before she catches sight of him and stops.

 

“You want…uh...never mind. I can't cook,” Rhys says awkwardly. He really couldn't prepare a honest meal to save his life.

 

Angel laughs. “No worries. I'll make something,” she says, gently waking Vaughn who's physically incapable of doing anything even remotely gracefully and wakes with a start. Angel laughs again before making her way to the tiny kitchen set to the side of the apartment to begin cooking.

 

Omelets are given to both of them as Angel cleans up the mess in the kitchen, taking occasional bites from her own as she does so. When breakfast is finished Angel leaves with an honest excuse of  _ dad’ll be worried. _

 

Rhys crosses his arms and eyes his best friend. 

 

“What?” Vaughn questions, rinsing his plate in the sink.

 

“Don't  _ what  _ me. You know what, Vaughn. You  _ know _ ,” Rhys accuses.

 

Vaughn rolls his eyes and moves past Rhys. “I don't have time for this, Rhys. I've got shit to do today. It's the first day of break,” Vaughn complains, disappearing into his room.

 

Rhys sighs and finds his way to his own room. He checks his charging phone for new messages.

 

**[Bae <3] ** _ Hey, I'm spending most of break with my parents. I hope you don't mind. I'll be sure to visit for New Years, though. Can't wait to kiss you at midnight. <3 _

**[Wings]** _ I had fun yesterday/last night. We should do that again before break ends, yeah? _

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ Lunch?  _

 

Rhys finds he isn’t  as upset about not seeing his girlfriend as he should be. He’s upset, sure. But not even remotely as upset as he should be. He’s far more interested in the prospect of lunch with Jack.

 

**[Me]** _ When and where? _

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ Now and it's a surprise. _

**[Me]** _ Now? _

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ Yes princess. You better be dressed.  _

 

Suddenly there's a knock at the front door and Vaughn calls out  _ I'll get it _ .

 

“Oh. It's you,” Vaughn says, somewhat disappointed. “Rhys your professor’s here!”

 

Rhys starts to shed his clothes and pull on clean ones. He's only half dressed when Jack wanders in, parking himself in the doorway with crossed arms.

 

“Putting on a show for me, are you?” he says with a laugh. 

 

Rhys grumbles to himself as he pulls his shirt on over his head. “ _ No _ . I just wasn't aware I'd be having visitors so early in the morning,” Rhys says.

 

“It's noon, kitten,” Jack says with a slight mocking smile.

 

Rhys checks his phone and sighs.  _ It's noon. _ “Alright, let's go,” he grumbles, slipping into his shoes, grabbing his phone, and sliding past Jack toward the door with the older man in tow.

 

Outside in the parking lot Rhys freezes and turns back to look at Jack. “Where's your car?” he questions, looking for the blue Prius. 

 

Jack smiles and pulls his keys from his pocket, clicking the unlock button.

 

A black Charger with white racing stripes blinks to life with a honk of the horn. 

 

“I wasn't joking, kiddo,” Jack says with a laugh.

 

Rhys shakes his head and smiles to himself before following Jack to the car and hopping inside.

 

Jack takes Rhys to Hyperion again. This time he skips the visit with Timothy and just takes him to R&D. The whole place is one big  **CLASSIFIED** hellhole. To begin with, it's a complete maze--a maze Jack seems ridiculously at home in. Not to mention the fact that  _ everything  _ looks dangerous. Rhys follows Jack closely.

 

“You asked about the scar,” Jack says suddenly, diverting down another hallway as he gestures vaguely to his face. 

 

Rhys nods, but doesn't speak.

 

Jack stops in front of a door labeled  **DO NOT ENTER** and smiles back at Rhys before rolling up his sleeve. There's a small hole in the wall just big enough for Jack to put his hand in palm up. He winces so slightly Rhys almost misses it. Then he pulls his hand out as the door starts to groan open.

 

“If I show you mine, will you show me yours?” Jack says, looking back at him with a playful smirk.

 

Jack laughs and starts to walk into the room, gesturing Rhys to follow.

 

It's something of a disaster. Most everything is in some form of the word destroyed. The room is full of furniture overturned as if everyone was in a hurry to escape and the lights flicker. One of the walls is scorched black. Rhys looks to Jack, who's eyes are already on him.

 

“What happened?” he asks and his own voice surprises him. He sounds something between scared and concerned. 

 

Jack gestures to the scar. “It was an experiment gone wrong. Prototype mask malfunctioned, burned me when I tried to remove it. Exploded on contact with the wall,” Jack says, shrugging like it's no big deal, but Rhys can see the sadness in his eyes.

 

Without a word Rhys crosses the distance between them to wrap his arms around the older man, pressing his cheek against his chest. 

 

Jack remains frozen at first, but stutters back to life and puts his arms around Rhys in return.

 

Rhys feels an ache in his chest and he squeezes tighter. “I'm sorry Jack,” he says gently.

 

“Nothing to be sorry about, kitten. Not like it was your fault,” Jack says, stroking up and down Rhys’ back as if he's the one in need of comfort. 

 

Rhys pulls his face away from Jack's chest to look up at him. The older man is watching him intently as he brings a hand up to cup Rhys’ jaw and stroke his cheek with his thumb.

 

Jack's going to kiss him--Rhys is certain. He doesn't know if he really wants that or not. So he says, “I thought we were getting lunch.”

 

The older man laughs and nods, but doesn't make any move to release Rhys. “I did say something about lunch didn't I?”

 

Rhys nods and Jack lets him go before directing him to follow him out of R&D.

 

Jack takes him to the burger joint again and Rhys is all too happy at the news. Jack laughs at him, but Rhys  _ really  _ likes those burgers. They don’t talk much while they eat. It’s mostly just Jack smiling at Rhys in a gentle and genuine fashion.

 

“Car accident,” Rhys says finally, leaning back in his chair. He wiggles the fingers of his robotic arm to show what he’s talking about. “It was dark and raining and my brother was more than a little drunk--he didn’t make it. Vaughn pulled me from the wreckage. I’ll never stop owing him for that. Though he hates when I bring it up.”--he shrugs--“Shit happens.”

 

The older man leans forward and steeples his fingers, eyeing Rhys carefully. “Shit happens,” he echoes. “Sorry for your loss, kiddo.”

 

Rhys shrugs again. “He nearly got me and my best friend killed. He was my brother and I miss him, but he wasn’t the greatest guy around.”

 

Something about Rhys’ words make Jack frown and he suddenly looks very saddened. He corrects himself quick enough. “I couldn’t stand to be around this place after the accident. So I handed it off to Tim. I don’t regret it, not really. Hyperion’s in better hands now,” Jack says, eyes boring into Rhys as if he can see through him and into his soul. It makes the younger man shift uncomfortably in his chair.

 

“What was the mask supposed to do?” Rhys asks, finally unable to contain his curiosity.

 

Jack laughs softly and shakes his head. “Ya know, I honestly don’t remember anymore. I just know I wanted to be the first to test it--I ignored the warnings from the nerds and it backfired,” he says. His tone is gentle and measured, but a slight smile is playing at the corners of his lips. “Why’d you get into the car?”

 

“He was my brother,” Rhys says simply, hoping it implies the things he doesn’t want to say.  _ I trusted him.  _

 

“C’mon, kitten. Let’s get out of here,” he says, rising from his chair.

 

This time Rhys doesn’t think twice about the wad of cash the older man tosses on the table.

 

They drive for a while--going nowhere in particular--and they talk through most of it. Finally, Rhys starts to recognize his surroundings and realizes they’re nearing his apartment.

 

“I’ll see you around, kitten,” Jack says, pulling up in front of Rhys’ building. 

 

Rhys doesn’t move or speak for a moment. Then he’s suddenly leaning into Jack’s space and kissing him. Jack only takes a faction of a second to return the gesture, but it’s over and Rhys is pulling away, looking somewhat flushed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jack,” he says quickly, hopping out of the vehicle and closing the door before the other man can respond.

 

It’s not until he’s in bed that he really starts to feel regrets. He’s a horrible boyfriend. A terrible person. And a shitty human being.


	7. Painted Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are regrets and bad life choices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S THE CHAPTER YOU (ME) HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! Buckle in kiddos this one is a serious ride. 
> 
> I know what you're all thinking. Two chapters in one day?! Yes, because I couldn't keep this chapter to myself any longer. I am an impatient writer. Fight me.

When Rhys wakes, he feels steeped in regret. Like he’d been soaking in a bath of his bad life choices rather than sleeping. His body feels heavy and sluggish. He needs an actual bath.

 

The hot water and steam do nothing for the ache of idiocy in his chest, but the near burn of the hot water feels like a well deserved torture for his actions. He tries to think of ways to tell Jack he didn’t mean to kiss him and that he doesn’t have feelings for him, but it’d be a lie and Rhys is tired of lying. He’s mad at himself for sharing all that personal shit, but he doesn’t regret it. It’s nice to share pain with someone who understands.

 

His girlfriend never really understood. She tried and Rhys appreciated it, but it wasn’t enough. Though he would never admit that to her.

 

Rhys’ mind starts to wander off to Angel and he wonders if he could talk to her about his accident. He’d seen the scars on her back transformed into angel wings with tattoos--that’s where her nickname had come from--and she had to have gotten them through something painful or tragic. A quiet part of him wonders if it had to do with her mother and that was why she never mentioned it.

 

Shutting off the water and wrapping a towel around his waist he makes his way back to his room. He dresses and decides not to bother with his hair. It’s gotten a bit long but he sort of likes the way it brushes his shoulders--it feels romantic.

 

He finds his way back to the living room where Vaughn is grabbing his keys and heading out. The smaller man turns to look back at Rhys briefly and grins in an unfriendly way. “You look like Fabio,” he says with a snort. 

 

Rhys narrows his eyes at his friend. “Where you going?” he asks.

 

“Gonna grab lunch with Angel. She said this new thai place opened up near her house and you know how I feel about thai,” he says, shoving his feet into his shoes and doing up the laces.

 

Rhys desperately needs the two of them to get together. They’d be adorable. “Vaughn,” he says, drawing the attention of his friend.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Do you like Angel?” he asks, crossing his arms and staring down at his friend.

 

Vaughn stands. “Yeah, of course. She’s our friend.”

 

“Not what I meant and you know it.”

 

Vaughn sighs, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have to go.” Then he bolts out the door, slamming it closed behind him.

 

_ He’s so got a crush _ .

 

Not even a minute later there’s a knock at the door and Rhys laughs as he moves to open it. “Did you forget something Va--Jack?!”

 

Rhys barely has a second to process that it’s Jack at his door before the man’s on him, pressing him into the nearest wall and pinning him there with his mouth. Without a second thought Rhys puts one hand to the back of Jack’s neck and the other over his shoulder, wrapping one leg around Jack’s hip to pull him closer.

 

“Jack,” Rhys gasps, reaching his hand up slightly to tangle it in Jack’s hair. He cants his head to give Jack better access to his neck as he kisses and suckles at the flesh there. Rhys’ eyes fall closed, lost in the feel of the older man.

 

The sound of something hitting the floor makes his eyes fly open to see--

 

“ _ Sasha _ ,” Rhys says, limbs disconnecting from Jack to push the older man away. Jack shifts back and to the side, away from Rhys. 

 

There’s tears welling in her big brown eyes and Rhys takes a step toward her, causing her to take two steps back. Her eyes are locked on Jack and to his credit he looks somewhat remorseful.

 

“ _ Sasha _ ,” Rhys says gently. “Look at me, baby. Look at me.”

 

Sasha shakes her head and rubs at her eyes with her sleeve. Her attention turns to him. “How--how long has th--this g--gone on?” she stutters, overtaken by her emotions.

 

_ God he’s an asshole. The absolute worst person to ever walk the earth. He’s going to burn in hell. God will smite him the second he steps outside. Fiona would cut him into tiny little pieces and mail them to his parents. _

 

Rhys uses his long legs to his advantage and closes the distance between them in two strides. He wraps the small woman in his arms and yanks the door closed, leaving them alone in the hallway. She sobs and beats at his chest, making a feeble attempt at freeing herself.

 

“ _ Asshole. Bastard. Prick. Dickhead. Douchebag _ .” Sasha calls him names until she runs out of them and by then she’s calmed down some, but Rhys doesn’t stop stroking her hair and hushing her. She peeks up at him and he smiles down at her.

 

“Hey there,” he says softly, like she’s a wild animal he’ll scare off if he’s not careful. It’s really not far from the truth.

 

She lets out a quiet laugh. “Hey yourself,” she says.

 

“I’m sorry, Sasha. I--I didn’t think it would get this far. I really never meant for it to. It just--”

 

“It just happened?” she says with a raised brow.

 

Rhys huffs a laugh. “ _ Yeah _ . I’m  _ so so so  _ sorry, Sasha.”

 

Sasha waves him off, pulling back just slightly. “I knew this would happen to one of us eventually. I’m surprised it took this long.”

 

“You  _ knew _ ?”

 

She nods. “We’ve been together a long time, Rhys. We were good together.”--she reaches up to hold his face in her hands--“I love you, but that doesn’t really matter if you’re not happy--”

 

Rhys starts to open his mouth.

 

“ _ No.  _ Let me finish. You’re not happy, Rhys. Or you are, but you found someone who makes you happier.  _ That’s okay _ . You’re allowed to do that. Granted it would’ve been better to tell me first, but that's not the point. I  _ want  _ you to be happy. So you have my blessing,” she finishes, smiling up at him.

 

Rhys eyes her suspiciously for a minute--she’s never let anything go so easily. “You found someone else,” he says blankly.

 

“I found someone else,” she parrots back with a laugh. “I however was going to do the respectable thing and tell you over lunch--in person.” She gestures to the bag of takeout laying on the hall floor.

 

He leans over her to press a kiss to her forehead. How had he ever deserved her in the first place?

 

“What’s his name?” he asks, resting his chin on her head.

 

“August. What’s  _ his  _ name?”

 

“Jack.”

 

“He’s a little old for you, don’t you think?”

 

“Nope. What’s August like?”

 

“He’s good--different from you in a lot of ways. Not all of them better, but I like him. And Jack?”

 

“Jack’s...Jack. He’s hard to put into words.”

 

Sasha laughs and hugs Rhys tightly. “I’ll miss you.”

 

“Yeah, same. You good on your own?” he asks, pulling away and holding her at arm's distance to give her a once over.

 

“I’ll be fine. You go finish whatever that was,” she says with a laugh and vague gesture toward his apartment.

 

They say their goodbyes and she lets Rhys keep the takeout. He watches her get in the elevator and waits a minute before turning and re-entering his apartment.

 

Jack’s sitting on the couch with his face in his hands. “Jack?” Rhys questions, approaching slowly. “Jack?”

 

The man in question raises his head slowly to look at Rhys. “I--uh--You didn’t mention you have a girlfriend,” he says, looking uncomfortable.

 

“Ex-girlfriend,” Rhys corrects.

 

It’s the wrong thing to say. Jack puts his face back in his hands and groans loudly. “Kiddo, I’m sorry.”

 

“To be fair, I started it--last night in the car,” Rhys says, setting the takeout on the coffee table before seating himself beside Jack. He wraps an arm around Jack’s shoulders in what he hopes is a comforting gesture. “It’s not a big deal, Jack. Sasha’s okay with it--happy even.”

 

Jack isn’t listening, that’s clear by the way he mutters  _ I’m a homewrecker  _ under his breath.

 

Rhys decides to try a new tactic. He runs his fingers through Jack’s hair, occasionally scraping his nails against the other man’s scalp. “Jack, please look at me.” Rather than wait for the man to comply, Rhys uses his free hand to pry Jack’s fingers from his face and direct him to look at him. He looks unreasonably upset.

 

“First, you’re not a homewrecker. That would imply there was a home to wreck--which there wasn’t. Second, it’s my fault and not yours that just happened. And third, everything is okay and Sasha is fine. Happy, even. She’s already moved on,” Rhys explains.

 

Jack sighs and rests his head against Rhys’s shoulder. It’s quiet for a moment before Jack speaks. “My wife cheated on me. I found out and we got into a huge fight in front of our kid. She left with our daughter--angry as hell. They got into an accident and she died,” Jack says as Rhys continues to run his fingers through his hair.

 

“And your daughter?”

 

“She survived--barely. I don’t think she ever really forgave me for that, though,” he answers, voice hollow.

 

“I’m sorry,” Rhys says. “I didn’t mean to put you in that situation.”

 

Jack shrugs and pulls back to look at Rhys. “She’s not mad at you?”

 

“Uh...she found someone else. That’s what she was here for, actually,” Rhys says awkwardly.

 

Jack smiles, “Did you find someone else?”

 

Instead of justifying that with an response, Rhys leans into Jack's space and kisses him as he presses him back onto the couch. He hovers over the older man and Jack reaches up to run his fingers through Rhys’ hair.

 

Rhys leans back and tugs off his shirt, throwing it to the side before setting his mouth back on Jack’s and grinding his hips. 

 

“Rhys,” Jack says when Rhys starts to trail his mouth down the older man’s jaw to his neck. “Rhys.  _ Rhysie _ .”

 

With a gentle nip to Jack's throat, Rhys shifts to look Jack in the eyes.

 

“Bedroom,” Jack says simply.

 

Rhys gets up and takes Jack's hand to drag him down the hall to his room where he goes for the buttons of Jack's jacket. The older man shrugs it off to reveal an orange-yellow sweater with the Hyperion logo on it. Rhys snorts a laugh and helps him out of that, too. 

 

Jack drives Rhys back toward the bed, kissing him and undoing his belt as he goes. The backs of Rhys’ knees hit the bed and he falls backward onto it, taking Jack with him. Rhys bites his lip as he watches the older man free himself of his jeans before helping Rhys out of his. Jack eyes Rhys for a minute.

 

“Where?” the older man asks, tone heavy with lust.

 

Rhys shifts on the bed to open the drawer of his nightstand and fishes for the bottle of lube. He pulls it out and instantly Jack snatches it from him, quick about slicking his fingers.

 

Without a word, Jack starts to probe Rhys’ entrance with a single finger, making the younger man cant his hips upward with a moan. He’s gentle and teasing as a second finger joins the first. He works the younger man open with twists and curls. When he deems it appropriate Jack adds a third finger, as impatient as he is he doesn't want to hurt Rhys and teasing him is fun. 

 

Rhys is tired of the slow torture Jack has going. “ _ Jack _ ,” Rhys whines, pushing back against the older man's fingers.

 

“Use your words, kitten,” Jack says, nipping at Rhys’ inner thigh. “Can't help you if you don't use your words.”

 

It's beyond Rhys how Jack is still so composed. “Fuck me, Jack.  _ Please _ ,” Rhys pleads.

 

Jack smiles. “Well since you asked so nicely...how can I refuse?”

 

Rhys whines again, this time at the loss of Jack's fingers. He squeezes his eyes closed. He can hear the sounds of Jack slicking himself up and feel the bed shift under his weight before--

 

“ _ Yes _ ,” Rhys sighs at the steady press of Jack’s cock as he bottoms out inside him.

 

Jack groans, watching Rhys intently and gripping his hips so tight there will be bruises later. “ _ Rhys. Shit  _ you're tight.”

 

He starts slow--presumably to give Rhys time to adjust, but he doesn't want to adjust. He wants to be fucked.  _ Now. _ “ _ Jack _ ,” he whines, wrapping his legs around Jack’s waist to pull him closer, deeper.

 

“And here I was trying to be the gentleman,” Jack says with a breathless laugh. He moves faster, though, driving into Rhys with abandon as he curves over him to nip and suck his neck.

 

Rhys tangles his robotic hand in the sheets and claws at Jack's back with his flesh hand. He’s a mess of sensation and pleasure as Jack slips his hand between them to stroke his cock. The younger man is reduced to moans and pleas of  _ Jack  _ and  _ please _ .

 

Jack's not much better off, groaning and growling into the juncture of Rhys’ neck and collarbone. He shifts Rhys just slightly and suddenly he's hitting that spot that has Rhys seeing stars.

 

With a keening cry Rhys comes, stomach splattered with his release as Jack's thrusts stutter and stop with a weak groan.

 

Rhys draws idle patterns on Jack's back as he rests against Rhys’ chest. He's a little spaced out and he can tell Jack is too. 

 

Suddenly Jack slides out of Rhys and flops onto his back beside him. Rhys turns to his side to continue his idle touches on Jack's chest, getting lost in the vague patterns he's making.

 

“Having fun there, kitten?” Jack questions, eyeing the younger man.

 

Rhys hums in agreement.

 

“Right, keep doing it then. Kinda relaxing,” Jack says, crossing his arms behind his head and watching Rhys’ hands. He could get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who guessed it? If you guessed wrong please tell me who you thought it was! If you guessed right congrats!
> 
> So there's a total of twelve chapters to this so at the rate we're going it'll be done by this time next week. Unless the other Rhack crap I'm working on starts to drag then updates will probably slow down. I'm working on like three things at once. Literally. I don't know what I'm doing with my life anymore. My tumblr has devolved into just a bunch of rambling about my writing. Rhack is slowly killing me. No one can save me. Don't help.


	8. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's got secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I say updates would slow down? Ha that's funny because they aren't. Oops. I love you guys so much and I'm so happy you enjoyed the last chapter! <3

Rhys and Jack had spent the better part of the day having sex. Not that Rhys’ complaining. They'd finally called it quits and curled up together in Rhys’ bed. Which is why Rhys finds it weird when he wakes alone.

 

Most of Jack's clothes are still on his floor so unless he left in only his jeans the man’s still in the apartment somewhere. Rhys picks up the sweater with Hyperion’s logo on it and tugs it on over his head. It's too big, but that’s sort of the point in putting it on. It's long and goes just past his ass. 

 

Rhys opens his door and immediately catches the scent of someone cooking in the kitchen. He follows the smell to find Jack in his kitchen making breakfast.

 

“Mornin’ kitten,” Jack says, not looking up from his work.

 

The smell is familiar--omelets like the ones Angel had cooked them. A thought occurs to Rhys and he desperately hopes he's wrong. 

 

“Jack. Your daughter. Uh...how old is she?”

 

“Twenty-one,” he answers, still not making eye contact.

 

Rhys is screwed. “And what's her name?”

 

Finally Jack looks up and the grin he wears is  _ so  _ far from friendly. “That took a while, didn't it?” he asks rhetorically. 

 

“Angel’s your daughter,” Rhys says, eyes wide.

 

“Mmhm.”

 

Then it hits Rhys. “ _ You knew _ ,” he accuses. “How long?”

 

Jack turns back to his cooking, but the grin doesn't leave. “You asked how I knew where you lived,” he says, letting Rhys’ mind take it from there.

 

“ _ That  _ long? Seriously? And you didn't think to tell me?” Rhys covers his face with his hands. Angel’s going to  _ murder  _ him.

 

Jack shrugs. “Wasn't relevant. Not all that relevant now either. Unless you wanted to come over for Christmas dinner. I'm sure Angel would be happy to have you.” He's having  _ way  _ too much fun with this.

 

“Jack!” Rhys snaps. “You know she's going to kill me when she finds out, right? Oh God what’ve I done?” Rhys turns away and puts his hands on either side of his head.

 

Jack doesn't say anything, but the creaking floorboards give him away as he moves towards Rhys. He steps around the younger man and frowns, placing his hands on Rhys’ waist. “Having regrets?” he asks, tone almost sad.

 

“What? No. No. Of course not.”--he puts one hand on Jack's bare arm and the other on the side of his face--“I'm not having regrets,” Rhys assures.

 

“Good, because that sweater looks good on you,” Jack says with a wink before kissing Rhys. 

 

“Hey, where's Vaughn?” Rhys asks, suddenly realizing he hadn't seen the other man since yesterday morning. Had he not come home?

 

Jack raises a brow. “Shorty with the glasses? Your little nerd friend got home late last night, came in to apologize or whatever. Boy did he look unhappy to see me,” Jack says with a laugh. “He's in the shower.”

 

As if on cue Vaughn steps out of the bathroom fully dressed and toweling his hair. “You're  _ still _ here?” he groans.

 

Jack pulls Rhys up against him. “I was afraid you'd miss me too much if I left,” he says, mock pouting before kissing Rhys. “Right, Rhysie?”

 

Rhys laughs and smiles.

 

“Ew. No. When's breakfast? I'm starved,” Vaughn asks, approaching the kitchen.

 

Jack gestures past Rhys. “On the counter,” he answers simply. 

 

They all sit on the couch together eating omelets. Rhys sits between Jack and Vaughn--who looks grumpy as hell.

 

“You couldn't have put on pants?” Vaughn asks, side eyeing his friend. When Rhys doesn't respond he speaks again. “I've got some errands to run.”

 

Vaughn leaves in a hurry and Rhys makes note to explain everything to him later. Jack leaves shortly after, making the honest excuse of Angel's probably wondering where he is.

 

Once alone Rhys composes a text to Vaughn explaining the whole situation--minus Angel being Jack’s daughter--and asks him to  _ please  _ not be mad.

 

**[Nerd]** _ I'm not mad. Disappointed, sure. Mad? No. We can talk about this when I get home. _

 

Rhys has just set his phone down when another text comes through.

 

**[Wings]** _ Hey dweeb. Wanna hang and play games today? Dad's been gone a while and my uncle is busy sooo you got me all to yourself. _

**[Me]** _ Sure. See you in a bit.  _

**[Wings]** _ Over in five. _

 

Rhys decides to dress himself properly and take a quick shower. He sheds Jack's sweater that he'd happily left him. It smells like Jack and Rhys would deny it if asked, but he loves how Jack smells.

 

Angel is knocking on the door before Rhys is fully dressed. He grabs a shirt off a hanger and starts toward the door. He opens the door before tugging the shirt on over his head.

 

“You ready to get your ass kicked?” Rhys asks, laughing and tucking a stray hair behind his ear. It's still wet from the shower.

 

“I didn't realize your hair was so long,” Angel says, closing the door behind herself and shucking her shoes.

 

Rhys shrugs. “It grows fast. I usually keep a better handle on it, but I've been busy.”

 

They spend a good several hours playing games that Angel repeatedly kicks his ass at. However Angel is the one who calls for a break.

 

She gets up to grab something from the kitchen and Rhys follows her. Together they search for something to snack on. He bumps into her on accident as he turns too fast.

 

Angel doesn't look okay, Rhys realizes. She looks...worried? He's about to comment on it when she gets up on her tiptoes and kisses him.

 

Rhys doesn't get much chance to protest as she pulls away quickly and is suddenly disappearing into his room.  _ Shit.  _ He follows after her to discover he's locked out. Part of him wonders if he should text Jack and ask for his help, but he thinks better of it and knocks on the door.

 

“Hey, Angel. You mind coming out so we can talk about this?” 

 

“I'm sorry, Rhys. I know you have a girlfriend. I just...I wasn't thinking,” she calls out.

 

Rhys sighs. “It's okay, Angel. It's not a big deal. I just don't feel the same way. I'm sorry,” he says, pressing his ear against the door to hear better.

 

It's quiet for a while until suddenly the door opens to reveal Angel holding Jack's sweater in her hands. She holds the sweater out to Rhys. “I thought you had a girlfriend,” she says, brow raised in question.

 

“Emphasis on  _ had _ ,” Rhys says.

 

“This is my dad's,” she says, eyes on the sweater. “Why’s it here?”

 

_ Because your dad and I spent the better part of yesterday screwing _ , Rhys thinks to himself.

 

Rather than answer her he pulls her against his chest, wrapping her in his arms. “I'm going to be honest and tell you I didn't know Jack's your dad until this morning. I'm also going to be honest and tell you that doesn't make me regret anything,” he says.

 

“You're disgusting,” she spits into his chest, but she wraps her own arms around him anyway. “You're also a crap friend. Good friends don't sleep with their friend's father.”

 

Rhys laughs. “I never claimed to be a stand up guy.”

 

Angel huffs and pulls back to look up at Rhys. “You're going to tell him I kissed you aren't you?”

 

“Let me put it this way, Christmas dinner is going to be  _ so  _ weird,” Rhys says with a laugh.

 

“Who says you're invited?”

 

Rhys gives her a squeeze. “Your father.”

 

“Is it serious? Are you boyfriends? I'm not calling you dad,” Angel says in a rush, a small smile playing at her lips.

 

It occurs to Rhys he has no answer to either of those questions. 

 

“Angel, I'm going to ask you something and you're going to answer honestly. No matter what your answer is, you can't tell Vaughn,” Rhys begins. Angel nods and he continues. “Do you have feelings for Vaughn?”

 

Rhys doesn't need her to answer, the look on her face and in her eyes says it all.  _ Yes _ . Part of him thinks to ask her why she kissed him if she has feelings for Vaughn, but he decides against it. 

 

“You should tell him,” he says. 

 

Angel scoffs. “Yeah. Like he feels the same.”

 

Rhys shrugs. “He might.”  _ He does. _

 

“ _ Fine _ . I'll tell him,” she says, pulling away from Rhys. “Do you know where he is?”

 

“He just said errands.”

 

Angel nods. “Let's just get back to the game.”

 

“Of course, daughter dearest,” he says mockingly.

 

“I'm a year older than you!” she protests, but she's laughing too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I'd mention it just because I can. I'm working on something else Rhack at the moment and I feel it'll be very long (maybe not, but I had intended The Loved, The Lost, and The Fallen to be kinda short and it turned out super friggin' long) So my question/point would you rather I wait until it's done so I can update regularly like with Talk Nerdy or should I just post as I go? I'll do whatever you guys want. Probably. Anyway, love you babes and see you all tomorrow for the next chapter!


	9. Dinners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys gets invited to dinner at the Lawrence House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter! Like super short. For that I apologize. I wanted to (as usual) thank you guys for your love and support with this fic! You guys are perfect and I love all of you! I hope you enjoy this little chapter!

Vaughn comes home around dinner time with pizza. When he steps into the living room Rhys gives Angel a playful nudge and a grin.

 

“Vaughn you're an angel,” she says, standing and walking over to Vaughn. She kisses his cheek and takes the pizza box from him before placing it on the coffee table. 

 

“Actually, I'm pretty sure you're Angel,” Vaughn says with a half smile and flushed cheeks.

 

Angel snorts, but doesn't respond. Instead she opens the box and grabs a slice that she promptly takes a bite out of. “So, where'd you go today? We missed you,” Angel says, relaxing back on the couch beside Rhys.

 

“Errands,” he answers simply. “And I'm sure  _ Rhysie _ didn't miss me at all.” He gives his friend a knowing smile.

 

“That's not funny, Vaughn,” Rhys says.

 

“It was a little funny,” Vaughn says, flopping down beside Angel.

 

Angel looks between both men for a minute. “I don't get it.”

 

Vaughn looks all too happy to explain. “See Rhys had a little friend over yesterday. And his friend has a thing for pet names. He called Rhys Rhysie this morning at breakfast. It's funny because he shouldn't have let him come over in the first place,” Vaughn says, grabbing a slice of pizza and taking a huge bite as he glares at Rhys. 

 

“You mean my dad, right?” Angel asks, making Vaughn choke.

 

When he recovers he looks between the two of them. Rhys looks slightly ashamed and Angel looks giddy as hell. “You--Your--Jack’s your dad?” he sputters.

 

“Mmhm,” she says and Rhys wonders how he hadn't caught it sooner. She makes some of the same faces.

 

“And you're okay with it?” 

 

Angel shrugs. “It's not like they'd stop if I wasn't.”

 

Rhys laughs and his phone chimes.

 

Angel looks over at his phone and rolls her eyes. “Speak of the devil,” she mutters.

 

**[Mr. Handsome]** _Tell Angel to answer her texts._

 

Rhys sighs and points his phone at Angel. She sighs and pulls out her own phone. Rhys watches her thumbs tap away at the screen for a minute before dropping the phone in her lap.

 

“He wants to know if you have plans for Christmas. Apparently Uncle Tim wants to have you over for dinner. He's a shit cook, but dad usually ends up doing the cooking so it won't be a total disaster,” Angel says, pulling her legs up under herself on the couch.

 

“He couldn't just ask me himself?” Rhys questions. 

 

Angel shrugs.

 

“Bro no. You can't. I'll be here alone. What’ll I do by myself?”--he crawls across Angel to grab Rhys by the shirt--“I'm sorry for making fun of you bro. Like so sorry,” Vaughn says, eyes pleading.

 

Angel laughs and gives Vaughn a smack on the ass. “You can come too,” she says. “If you get off me right now.”

 

Vaughn scrambles back across Angel to a seated position beside her. “You mean it?”

 

“Yeah, sure. You can be my plus one,” she says with a smile. “If dad gets to invite Rhys, I should be allowed to invite you.”

 

“I thought you said Tim invited me.”

 

Angel shrugs again, “Same difference.”


	10. Christmas Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas Eve is fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you all so much! I know I say that every chapter, but I mean it! You're all lovely and I love you! So I have a question. How opposed would you guys be to me doing like a side fic about Angel/Vaughn? Would you rather it be a sequel to this and still contain lots of Rhack as the focus or would you mind it just being Angel/Vaughn? Because while they're a true rare pair, I really love them and I wanna write more for them. Because they're really adorable. I'm sorry...not really. <3

Rhys had spent most of Christmas eve arguing with Vaughn over whether or not the smaller man should ask Angel out. Rhys wins in the end and because he has no doubt Vaughn wouldn't do it if Rhys didn't make him; he stands over his shoulder as Vaughn texts her.

 

Her response was quick and simple:  _ Yes _ . Which makes Vaughn drag Rhys onto the couch so they can jump on it in celebration. Rhys will happily admit his friend looks absolutely adorable with the biggest grin ever plastered on his face. 

 

“Told you she likes you,” Rhys says, crossing his arms and hopping off the couch.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Vaughn says, waving his friend off. “If you'll excuse me, I have a date to prepare for.”

 

When Vaughn comes home late Rhys is waiting for him on the couch, prepared to grill him on his date. The smaller man wears a grin a mile wide and has a dreamy look in his eyes.

 

“I take it went well?” Rhys says, watching his friend as he kicks off his shoes.

 

Vaughn nods and flops down beside Rhys. 

 

“Are you going to tell me about it or am I going to have to ask Angel?” Rhys questions, turning to face his friend.

 

“Uh well. I took her to that thai place we both like. And we ate and talked--normal date stuff. Then I dropped her off at her house--which is pretty awesome, by the way. But she lingered in the car a bit. So I...uh...well I kissed her. And um...well…it was awesome. So uh thanks for making me do that I guess,” Vaughn says, readjusting his glasses.

 

Rhys holds out his hand for a bro fist that Vaughn lazily accepts. “Man, that's awesome! You two are gonna be so cute together! Can't wait to tell Jack,” Rhys says, standing from the couch.

 

Vaughn balks. “Wait. No. No. You can't tell Jack.  _ No. _ ”

 

“Do you plan on hiding it from him forever? I mean we're going to dinner at their house tomorrow. On Christmas. That kind of screams romantic involvement, you know,” Rhys questions with a cocked brow and crossed arms.

 

His friend groans and throws his head back against the couch. As if on cue Rhys phone chimes.

 

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ So I saw your little nerd friend outside my house earlier. Am I being spied on? _

**[Me]** _ No. Vaughn took Angel on a date. It went awesome. He's coming to dinner tomorrow. _

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ Did you invite him? _

**[Me]** _ No. Angel did. _

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ Fine. But if he hurts her… _

**[Me]** _Vaughn would never. Aside from the fact you put the fear of God into him, he really likes her._

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ Of course he does. She's Angel. _

 

Rhys snorts, but doesn't respond. “Too late now,” he tells Vaughn as he heads toward his room. “Best get some sleep. Don't want to fall asleep during dinner.”

 

Vaughn makes a groan of assent and Rhys disappears into his room. He undresses and pulls on Jack's sweater before settling into bed. Then he texts the older man.

 

**[Me]** _ Why’d you choose teaching? _

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ TimTams idea. Not sure it's for me. _

**[Me]** _ Could you go back to Hyperion? _

**[Mr. Handsome]** _ Couldn't do that to TimTams. Wouldn't be fair. Besides, he's good at his job. _

**[Me]** _ You sure it's not just your own anxiety stopping you?  _

 

Jack doesn't respond for a while. Rhys has just to dozed off when he calls.

 

“Hello?” he questions groggily, sitting up in bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

 

“Rhysie. I know you mean well and I appreciate it and all that crap, but you don't understand,” Jack says. He sounds tired and not in the  _ I need sleep _ way.

 

Rhys is just about to say  _ Jack I'm trying to sleep _ when he thinks better of it. “Then explain it to me. I'm here. I'll listen.”

 

Jack sighs. “I was good at my job, but I wasn't a very good person, Rhys.”

 

It occurs to Rhys that Angel had said the same thing, but he doesn't really believe it. “Even if that's true, you're a good person now.”

 

“I manipulated you into spending time with me.”

 

“You  _ bribed _ me into doing something I would've said yes to anyway. That's not the same thing,” Rhys defends, yawning sleepily.

 

Jack is quiet for a bit and Rhys throws himself back into the pillows. He's just about fallen back asleep when Jack starts talking again. “You're a good kid, Rhysie. I'm uh lucky to have you, kiddo,” he says a little awkwardly.

 

“Same here. Minus the kid part,” Rhys says back.

 

Jack chuckles. “Alright. I think I've kept you up long enough, pumpkin. Go to sleep.”

 

Rhys hums sleepily. “Goodnight Jack.”

 

“Goodnight, kitten.”


	11. Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo there may be a thirteenth chapter. An epilogue to the epilogue. So yeah. Uh this is now longer than originally anticipated. Oops. Anyway, as always, I love all of you dearly and I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's coming out a little earlier than usual because imma be busy as hell today.

Christmas morning is spent sending texts to various relatives and playing video games with Vaughn. It's not until noon that Angel and Jack text them respectively to tell them to come over by five--Vaughn knows where the house is. After that Vaughn and Rhys spend the next several hours getting ready. Then at five thirty they head out.

 

In the car Rhys’ phone chimes and he checks his texts.

 

**[Painted Lady]** _ Hey, I wanted to wish you a merry christmas and all that. Also wanted to remind you there’s no hard feelings between us. It’s all good. August says hi. _

**[Me]** _Merry christmas to you too, Sash. Have a good one._

**[Painted Lady]** _ You too.  _

 

Vaughn wasn't wrong about the Lawrence house being awesome. It's obscenely big, all smooth lines and sharp edges. It screams wealth.

 

Angel greets them at the door and guides them to the kitchen where Jack and Tim are fighting over how to cut vegetables.

 

“They have to be the same size! TimTams please for the love of God stop ruining my vegetables!” Jack exclaims, shooing Timothy from the kitchen. “Get out! Out! I don't want to look at your face anymore!”

 

Timothy laughs as he leaves the kitchen, parking himself on one of the barstools at the island. Rhys and Vaughn join him while Angel helps her father in the kitchen.

 

“You might not want to look in the mirror then,” Timothy says with a laugh before holding his hand out to Vaughn. “Timothy Lawrence.”

 

Vaughn shakes his hand with a expression of mild awe as he looks between Jack and Tim. 

 

“Close your mouth shorty. I'm sure you've seen twins before,” Jack says.

 

Rhys and Angel speak in unison. Hisses of  _ dad  _ and  _ Jack  _ make the older man laugh.

 

“You two are precious,” Jack says looking between Rhys and Angel.

 

Angel huffs but continues Tim's work on the vegetables as the other men watch them cook. It's obvious where she gets her talents as a chef. The two of them are startlingly similar.

 

After dinner--which is  _ divine-- _ everyone sits at the table and chats. Until Jack does the most cliche knife to wine glass clink possible.

 

“I wanted to say something,” Jack begins. The look on his face is dead serious and mildly uncomfortable. Rhys offers him his hand under the table and Jack takes it, squeezing almost too hard. “I'm quitting teaching. I’m not cut out to deal with other people's brats for hours on end.”

 

Angel stares for a minute before righting herself. “What’re you gonna do then?”

 

Timothy shifts in his seat before steepling his fingers. “He's coming back to Hyperion. He's going to be my co-CEO,” he says before taking a sip of his wine in the most nonchalant way possible. 

 

“What he said,” Jack says, giving Rhys’ hand another squeeze before leaning to kiss him on the cheek.

 

“Well I'm happy for you,” Angel says, but she looks more shocked than anything. Rhys thinks to question it, but not in front of Jack.

 

Eventually they move into the living room where Rhys sits with his legs across Jack's lap. Angel is curled up beside Vaughn; her legs are tucked under herself and her head is resting on his shoulder as he strokes her hair. Timothy is fiddling with his phone and looking generally out of place. 

 

“Do you guys wanna stay here tonight? It's getting kinda late. Not to mention it's raining,” Tim says suddenly, looking between Rhys and Vaughn. 

 

Vaughn shrugs, “If that's cool with you guys.”

 

“I have no complaints,” Angel says sleepily.

 

Jack looks like he's debating it and Rhys nudges his thigh with his bare foot to draw his attention. Rhys smiles and Jack caves. “Yeah, fine. Whatever.”

 

Vaughn whispers something to Angel that makes her giggle and nod. He stands and scoops her giggly form into his arms before heading down the hallway.

 

Jack tries to get up but Rhys holds him back. “He's not going to hurt her, Jack. He's Vaughn for God's sake. I'd be more worried about her hurting him,” he says and Jack growls. “Knock it off. We can go check on them in a minute. Just sit here with me for a bit.”

 

Eventually Jack gets restless and removes Rhys’ legs from his lap; standing and scooping the younger man into his arms. “I won't drop you, I promise.” At the top of the stairs Jack sets him down before making his way down the hall to what Rhys assumes is Angel’s room. He opens the door just a crack and Rhys leans in with him to see.

 

Angel is asleep with her head on Vaughn’s chest and one arm thrown over him. Vaughn looks halfway to sleep himself as he lazily runs his fingers through her hair.

 

Jack closes the door and glares at Rhys, who's grinning. “Oh quit it. They're cute. So what? Doesn't mean I like him.”

 

Rhys shrugs. “You don't have to like him.”

 

“Good, because I don't,” Jack says, heading off down the hallway with Rhys in tow. Rhys is pretty sure this is the master bedroom; it's massive with a solid wall of glass behind the bed--which is also massive  _ and  _ round.

 

“Never been one for subtleties, huh?”

 

Jack shrugs and starts to strip. Rhys follows suit and their clothes land in a pile by the hamper. Vaguely he wonders if Timothy is the unofficial housekeep in his spare time. The bed is just as comfy as it looks and the sheets are silken soft. They lay together in a fashion similar to Vaughn and Angel.

 

“Ya know, Rhysie, you're the reason I'm going back to Hyperion,” Jack says suddenly, rousing Rhys from the light sleep he'd fallen into.

 

“Am I now?”

 

“Mmhm,” Jack agrees. “I thought about what you said last night. About my own anxiety stopping me. It was. I love Hyperion. And I  _ hate  _ teaching. There's too much goddamn work and not enough incentive to do it.”

 

Rhys laughs softly. “There wasn't as much work as the CEO of Hyperion?”

 

“There was more, but it was  _ fun. _ Scaring the shit out of those corporate assholes, surprise visits to R&D,” Jack says wistfully. 

 

“You’re a corporate asshole,” Rhys says sleepily.

 

Jack chuckles and kisses Rhys’ head. “Yeah, but I'm your corporate asshole.”

 

Rhys opens his eyes wide, but doesn't say anything yet. He tries to pretend Jack didn't just say that and fails miserably. “Mine?” he questions weakly.

 

“Yours,” Jack affirms.

 

Rhys sits up just enough to look at Jack. He doesn't look like he's joking, despite the smile playing at the edges of his mouth. “What does that mean?”

 

Jack rolls his eyes and runs his hand up and down Rhys’ back. “Are we really having this conversation right now?”

 

“Yes we are. You started it. Now finish it,” Rhys demands. 

 

Jack moves a stray tendril of hair back behind Rhys’ ear. “Alright. You want to put labels on this, right?  _ Fine _ . We're boyfriends. Happy?” he says, tone gentle.

 

“Mmhm,” Rhys agrees, laying back down. 

 

“Don't cut your hair. I like it long like this,” Jack says, running his fingers through Rhys’ hair.

 

Rhys laughs, “Is that a request or a command?”

 

“Command.”


	12. Epilogue One of Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's like an epilogue except there's another one after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's almost over. We are nearing the end. I wanna thank you guys for being so great and amazing and wonderful! And I also really wanna share [this picture by Leenhiddles of Rhys in his man bun](http://leenhiddles.tumblr.com/post/143835577878/manbuns-are-cute-especially-on-rhys-thelilybird).

Rhys is lounging by the pool at Jack's house, trying to stave off the summer heat. He's tied his hair on top of his head in a messy bun and wears only his swim shorts. It's all around a pretty relaxing day.

 

Jack's been ridiculously busy with Hyperion lately, leaving Rhys to make good use of the key he'd been given.

 

“Dad! Rhys!” Angel calls from inside the house.

 

Rhys raises his arm and shouts back, “Out here!”

 

When she emerges into the late afternoon sun she has Vaughn in tow, though he lingers awkwardly in the doorway when Angel makes her way to Rhys. She looks positively giddy--more than usual. She comes to stand beside Rhys at his lounge chair and does a little spin.

 

“Notice anything different?” she asks, grin splitting her face.

 

It takes him a minute--her hair is exactly the same, her clothes the same ones she'd left the house in. Then he notices it, the sun reflecting off it and making the whole patio glitter--a diamond ring.

 

Rhys shoots up and takes her hand to examine it. She's bouncing on the balls of her feet, thrumming with happiness and excitement. The ring screams Angel, almost literally--two small bits of platinum extend from the ridiculously oversized diamond in the shape of angel wings. 

 

“It's beautiful,” he says, a bit awestruck. Then he turns to look at Vaughn standing in the doorway, watching them. “You didn't tell me you were proposing!”

 

“Because you're physically incapable of keeping a secret, Rhys! These things are supposed to be surprises! You would've ruined it with your big mouth!” Vaughn shoots back, finally coming out onto the patio.

 

Angel holds her hand out to examine her ring again before turning her attention to the two males shouting at each other. “He's not wrong, Rhys,” Angel says gently. “Also, the look on your face right now is priceless and I would've hated to miss it.”

 

Rhys makes an indignant noise and crosses his arms. “You planning on telling your father?”

 

That sends Vaughn into a panic and Angel’s face falls. Jack had never really gotten used to the two of them.

 

“I can tell him,” Rhys says with a grin.

 

“Don't you dare!” Angel screeches. 

 

Rhys laughs and settles back onto his lounge chair. “He's going to strangle you both.”

 

Angel seems to consider this for a minute, watching Rhys and occasionally looking back at Vaughn. “What if you softened him up for us?”

 

“If you're suggesting I have sex with your father so you can tell him you're getting married, the answer’s no,” Rhys says, not looking at her.

 

“Ew. No, Rhys. I mean  _ talk  _ to him. Warm him up to the idea,” she says.

 

Rhys laughs and shakes his head. “You say that like I haven't been rooting for you two since Christmas. But fine, I'll do it. Make yourselves scarce,” Rhys says, waving the two of them off. 

 

“Thank you so much,” Angel says, pressing a kiss to his temple before walking off with Vaughn in tow.

 

Jack comes home several hours later and immediately finds his way to the patio, to Rhys. “Heya pumpkin, how're you?”

 

“Jack, do you ever plan on remarrying?” Rhys asks.

 

“Whoa, kiddo. Someone's been spending too much time in the sun,” Jack says, pressing the back of his hand to Rhys’ forehead.

 

Rhys bats his hand away. “It was a serious question, Jack. Answer it,” he says firmly.

 

Jack sighs and parks himself on his knees beside Rhys. “You've been talking to Angel, haven't you?”

 

“No, but now you're going to tell me how those two things relate,” Rhys says, crossing his arms and staring down at Jack. 

 

Resting his head on the arm of the lounge, Jack sighs again. “After my wife died, I remarried. She didn't like Angel much. We got into a big fight one night and Angel walked in. Angel was maybe fourteen at the time. And Jules started going off on her. Needless to say I kicked her out and we got divorced. After that I told Angel I'd never get married again--never date again, actually. So uh surprise you're the first person I've been with seriously since my second wife,” Jack says with an awkward laugh.

 

Rhys thinks about the times Jack had come into the coffee shop looking disheveled and perkier than normal. Jack did say  _ seriously.  _ He sighs and strokes Jack's hair. “I didn't bring it up out of impatience, Jack. So you don't have to worry about that. I br--”

 

“It's not like I don't want to marry you, Rhysie. It's just complicated. I mean Angel's all grown up and almost done with school. She'll move out soon and I know I shouldn't worry about her so much anymore, but she's my baby girl. It was just the two of us and Tim for a long time,” Jack says, looking up at Rhys. 

 

“You want to marry me?” Rhys questions, smiling blissfully. 

 

Jack chuckles. “That would be all you'd get out of that conversation. Yes, Rhysie. I want to marry you. Now shut up about it. These things are supposed to be surprises.”

 

Rhys leans over to kiss Jack. “Speaking of surprises,” Rhys says, pausing to watch Jack cock a brow. “Angel has one for you. And no, she's not pregnant. Wipe that concerned look off your face.”

 

Jack stands but doesn't look any less concerned. “Angel! You home?” he calls.

 

A couple minutes later Angel and Vaughn find their way to the patio, Angel dragging Vaughn behind her by the wrist. He looks a little green. Angel holds her free hand out to her father, not releasing Vaughn even as he tries to escape.

 

It clicks a little delayed for Jack as he just stares at the ring for a good few minutes. Then he looks up at Angel. As he turns to look at Vaughn Rhys hurriedly stands to hold Jack’s hand in attempt to keep him from strangling his friend.

 

“Jack, say something,” Rhys whispers. He’s about to tell Vaughn to run when a slow smile spreads across Jack’s face. “Jack?”

 

The man in question shakes his hand free from Rhys’ and moves toward Vaughn as everyone stands frozen. Jack pulls Vaughn against his chest, wrapping his arms around the smaller man. 

 

“Welcome to the family, shorty!” Jack says loudly.

 

Rhys punches him in the arm when he releases Vaughn. “You liked him all along didn’t you?”

 

Jack chuckles and shrugs; pulling Rhys close and holding him there by the waist. “Never disliked him at least,” he says, tilting his head to look at Angel. “Just wait till TimTams hears about this. He’ll demand to be your wedding planner. Hope you didn’t have plans for a small wedding.”

 

Angel seems to finally unfreeze. “You’re not...uh upset? Or mad? Or anything?”

 

“Do you want me to be?”

 

“No. No. I'm just surprised is all...I’m going to go start dinner. C’mon, Vaughn,” Angel says, disappearing into the house with Vaughn in tow.

 

“So that’s why you asked about remarrying,” Jack says, watching Rhys.

 

Rhys shrugs. “I was also curious.”

 

Jack nods. “Do you want to marry me, kitten?”

 

“If you’re actually proposing right now, you better not. I want to be swept off my feet, cheesy music, cliche dinner date, the whole nine yards. I will accept nothing less,” Rhys says, smiling up at the older man.

 

“Damn you’re high maintenance.”

 

“Shut up. You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

 

“True.”


	13. Epilogue Two of Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final Epilogue. Probably.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this originally was supposed to be just about Vangel. Not gonna lie. Then somehow Rhack became the focus so...oops? So instead of making it a cute one shot of Vangel I decided just to tack it onto this as a secondary epilogue. There won't be anymore epilogues. Probably. Don't hold me to that.

Angel looks…well like an angel. Her dark hair is in elaborate braids and her veil sits on her head like a glorified halo. Her dress is nothing if not extravagant: long and silver, shimmery with a cinched waist. She’s a true picture of beauty. 

 

“Dad, don’t cry.  _ Please  _ don’t cry,” Angel says, stepping away from the full length mirror and turning to look at her father; her heavy dress dragging behind her as she walks.

 

Rhys hands off a box of tissues to the crying man which he takes gratefully. “It’s not sad, Jack,” he says, eyes still on Angel.

 

“ _ I know that _ ,” Jack says through his tears. “But she’s just so beautiful.”

 

“Oh  _ dad _ ,” Angel says, crossing the distance to hug her father. 

 

He happily embraces Angel, who gestures Rhys to join in. It’s a wonderful moment of familial affections that’s quickly brought to an end.

 

“Okay, ladies time to get out there,” Fiona calls from the doorway.

 

Jack sniffles and wipes at his eyes, trying to will away his tears.

 

The wedding takes place outside in a large garden. It’s a relatively small ordeal. Rhys is Vaughn’s best man  _ and _ Angel’s maid of honor; needless to say he spent the better part of the summer with Timothy planning the wedding. To keep the balance Jack stands beside Angel and Rhys beside Vaughn. The older man hasn’t stopped crying and Vaughn seems to have joined in, though he’s far better at reining himself in. 

 

The food is delicious; Jack had spent most of the night prior cooking like a madman. By the time everyone’s dancing Jack has completely calmed down. Though he starts to get teary eyed at the sight of Angel and Vaughn dancing.

 

“I thought you didn’t like Vaughn,” Rhys says, tilting his head to look at Jack seated beside him.

 

He grumbles to himself. “I like him just fine. Kid’s good enough to be your friend and you’re finicky as hell.”

 

“I’ve known Vaughn since we were kids. We lived next door to each other. We’re practically family. I never had much choice,” Rhys admits, though he does love Vaughn dearly.

 

He watches the newlyweds as they dance together. He thanks the gods that Angel is only slightly taller than Vaughn otherwise they’d look seriously comical together.

 

“Speaking of family,” Jack begins.

 

“Not today either, Jack. I told you what I want and I’m holding out for it,” Rhys interrupts, not looking at Jack. The older man has been asking him for his hand in marriage pretty much every day since Angel and Vaughn’s engagement. Sometimes he even asked in front of them. Rhys had turned him down every time. He’s holding out for the whole nine yards.

 

Jack groans, “C’mon, kitten. That could be us.” He gestures to Vaughn and Angel dancing and laughing together.

 

“It could be,” Rhys agrees.

 

“You know what? I could just stop asking.”

 

“You could, but you won’t.”

 

With another groan Jack leans forward, placing his forehead on the table. “I won’t,” he concedes.

 

When it starts to get late and most everyone has gone home, Rhys and Jack take them to the airport so they can head off to their honeymoon in…Rhys couldn’t remember where they’re going.

 

“Take care of my dress,” Angel says as she hops out of the car.

 

“I’ll take care of Angel,” Vaughn adds before Jack can tell him to do so.

 

On the long drive home Rhys and Jack don’t speak, the sound of the radio the only noise in the car. The quiet finally gets to Jack and he shuts off the radio.

 

“Rhys, I’m going to marry you,” he declares.

 

“Whether I like it or not?” Rhys questions coolly. 

 

Jack exhales sharply. “Rhys, I’m serious.”

 

“I know you are. So am I. The whole shebang, Jack. All or nothing. We’ve been over this.”

 

***

 

Morning comes and Jack turns off Rhys’ alarm before it wakes him. He makes his way downstairs and begins preparing breakfast: pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, and orange juice. He gathers it all up onto a tray--the fancy kind meant for this purpose--and takes them upstairs to wake up Rhys.

 

“Rhys, baby, wake up. I have something for you,” Jack says softly in Rhys’ ear.

 

Rhys groans and opens his eyes to look at Jack. 

 

“Hey there, sleepyhead. Morning.”

 

“Morning,” Rhys agrees groggily. “What’s going on?” 

 

Rather than answer, Jack holds out the tray and waits for Rhys to sit up before setting it before him. The younger man’s eyes go wide before turning to Jack. There’s a silent question in his eyes that Jack has no plans of answering.  _ What’s going on? _

 

Rhys eats and lets Jack pick off his plate occasionally. When he’s done Jack takes the tray and wordlessly returns downstairs. Shortly after Rhys comes down, too. He’s half dressed and confused as hell with the  _ worst  _ bed head.

 

“Jack, what’s going on?” Rhys questions, watching Jack finish cleaning up the kitchen.

 

“Go back upstairs and get dressed,” Jack replies calmly, not looking up from his work. Rhys hesitates a moment before doing what he’s told. 

 

When Rhys returns Jack appraises him and Rhys shifts uncomfortably under his gaze. Jack’s mildly amazed he can still do that to the younger man after all this time.

 

“We’re going out on the boat,” he says finally. Rhys always loved the boat. He’d thought Jack was joking when he first told him about it. Then he kept asking the older man to take them on it.

 

Most of the day is spent on the boat, Rhys happily standing at the front of it like Rose. He’d made Jack watch Titanic some time ago and quite frankly the jokes were instantly unamusing, but he put up with them anyway. The things you do for love and all that.

 

Sometime in the afternoon they head back to port and Jack drives them back home. He guides Rhys through the house and out to the backyard.

 

Fairy lights tangle among the branches of the many trees dotting the yard. The biggest concentration of them is further back and around a table. Jack takes them to it and Rhys narrows his eyes at the burger and fries on the plate before him.

 

“Really?”

 

“It’s from that burger joint you’re always begging me to take you to,” Jack answers, taking a seat and gesturing for Rhys to do the same.

 

Rhys sits and eats with Jack. When they’re finished Tim appears from near literal nowhere with ice cream cones--mint for Rhys and rocky road for Jack. A permanent grin plasters itself on Rhys’ face that somehow only grows wider when Jack gets down on one knee.

 

“So, you said the whole nine yards. I hope this is at least ten, because I mean c’mon it was a lot of work on Tim’s part.”--Rhys can’t help but laugh--“What I’m trying to say here is--Rhys, Rhysie--will you marry me?” Jack asks, fishing in his pockets for a minute before pulling out a little black box. Inside rests a diamond to rival Angel’s with a solid black band.

 

“It’s black,” Rhys says dumbly.

 

“It’s space rock.”

 

“Space rock?”

 

“Yes fucking space rock. Asteroid or some shit. That’s really what you’re focusing on right now?”

 

Rhys bites his lower lip and tears start to well in his eyes.

 

Instantly Jack shoots up. “Shit, Rhys, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…I thought you’d like it,” Jack says awkwardly, placing his hands on the younger man’s shoulders.

 

Suddenly Rhys pulls Jack into a hug, squeezing him tight against his chest. “No, Jack. It’s perfect. I love it. I love you. And my answer’s yes,” he says quickly.

 

“Oh. Oh. Okay.”

 

“What you’re too good for coherent sentences now?” Rhys teases, pulling away just enough to look at Jack.

 

It’s how the lights shine in his eyes and how pure his gaze is. After all the shit Jack’s done--most of which he’d told Rhys about long ago and he’d endured the original shock in his mismatched eyes only to be rewarded with only affection--he’d still managed to be worthy enough of Rhys. Karma’s definitely bullshit.

 

“Jack, you’re crying.”

 

Jack sniffs. “Yeah, well you’re one to talk,” he says before pulling the younger man in for a kiss.

 

Yeah karma’s bullshit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I wanna thank you all one last time! Because you're all perfect wonderful babes! I'm almost done with another Rhack fic so keep an eye out for that.

**Author's Note:**

> Pester [my tumblr](http://thelilybird.tumblr.com/). I'm always happy to talk!


End file.
